God(olphin)’s Gift to Racing–Cox Plate Review

Anamoe parades along the straight after winning the Cox Plate

Last Saturday Melbourne woke to  a steady downpour of rain that looked as if had set in and would continue for the rest of the day. Oh dear, I thought, when I looked outside, that doesn’t look promising for an afternoon at the races.

It was Cox Plate Day, my favourite race of the Spring Racing Carnival, and the first I was able to attend after two years of Covid restrictions forbidding attendance at the Spring races.

However, I didn’t despair at the dire weather, just changed my strategy of arrival to a later time in the hope that the rain would ease off eventually.

Thankfully it did around midday and by the time I set out the rain had ceased to fall and things were looking up.

Equipped with raincoat and umbrella, along with my usual race going paraphernalia, I took the 510 (Ivanhoe to Essendon) Bus and arrived at Moonee Valley in time for the fourth race.

As Cox Plate attendance numbers go, it wasn’t all that crowded, and I managed to insert myself into a spot on the fence near the finish line, where I remained for the rest of the afternoon, luckily having brought my fold out step to sit on between races.

Race 4 was the Listed Crockett Stakes, run over 1200 metres for three year year old fillies, which resulted in a win for Wee Nessy, who beat Bay Thirteen by a length with Birdies Galore running third.

  
Wee Nessy (number 7) fights out the finish with Bay Thirteen

The track was heavy after all the rain that had fallen overnight and in the morning, and the lawn near the public bar was a virtual quagmire, but in rather better shape where I was standing.

As the earlier races were being run at thirty five minute intervals, the afternoon seemed to go quite quickly.

Another race for fillies, the Group 2, Fillies Classic (1600 metres) was next up. I remember that during the Winx years, Mystic Journey won the Fillies Classic in 2018 and subsequently won the inaugural All Star Mile in the following autumns.

This year’s edition was won by Zoe’s Promise who fought out the finish with Climbing Star, and race favourite Do It La finished third.

Zoe’s Promise about to overtake Climbing Star  as they gallop to the finish line

Zoe’s Promise in the winners rug

Climbing Star on her way to barriers

As the Cox Plate was scheduled as Race 9, there were still three more races to run before that happened.  Happily the sun had emerged from the clouds by this time and it was quite warm

Race 6 was the mildly interesting Crystal Mile, a Group 2 race over 1600 metres.

My Oberon, who I must admit I’ve never heard of, won the race convincingly from Banker’s Choice and race leader Buffalo River, coming wide to win by over a length.

My Oberon gallops up the straight unopposed to win the Crystal Mile

Banker’s Choice (No 8) & Buffalo River vie for second place

In past Cox Plate meetings I have attended, there was a count down to main event on the big screen. Not so this year, so I figured we still had two hours to hang out till the main event.

Berkeley Square started as favourite for Race 7, the Drummond Golf Vase a race over the Cox Plate distance of 2040 metres and usually contested by Derby bound three year old's. Old fave Super Cool won it 2012, and 2016 Caulfield Cup winner Jameka won it in 2015.

This year Berkeley Square justified his starting price of $2.70 by winning narrowly from Virtuous Circle and Pericles.

Berkeley Square (lime silks) tackles Pericles as they gallop up the straight

Berkeley Square returns to scale

Virtuous Circle on his way to the barriers

The Moonee Valley Cup is generally an interesting race, run as it is over 2500 metres, and contested by aspiring Melbourne Cup runners.

Looking at the form, my choice if I was going to have a bet would have been on Francesco Guardi. Ridden by James MacDonald, Francesco Guardi started as the favourite and didn’t disappoint, winning easily by almost four lengths from Lunar Flare with Persan running third another three lengths behind. A very impressive win on the part of Francesco Guardi, marking him as a horse to follow in the future. He certainly looked to be a classy beast in the flesh.

Francesco Guardi bolts up the straight to win the Moonee Valley Cup

Francesco Guardi in the winners rug

Lunar Flare

Persan

Up  next, finally, was the Cox Plate, but before that was run, the usual pomp and ceremony occurred.

This involved a large sign being placed next to the finishing post, with a row of plinths holding previous Cox Plate trophies, whilst a bandstand was set up.

Large sign advertising the Cox Plate centenary anniversary

Winx 2015 Cox Plate Trophy

Winx 2016 Cox Plate Trophy

Instead of Daryl Braithwaite, MVRC had engaged jockey and The Voice contestant, Robbie Dolan to perform “Horses”. Unfortunately my photos of Robbie Dolan turned out blurred for some reason, but he did a competent job singing the National Anthem and Horses, though was not as engaging as the original. The crowd sang along to the words they knew.

Soon enough the Cox Plate runners were emerging onto the track…

Anamoe

Alligator Blood

Mo’unga

Gold Trip

El Bodegon

Zaaki

It had grown rather dark and overcast by this time, but the rain held off and the Cox Plate jumped at its allotted time of 5.10 pm.

Zaaki who had drawn the inside gate immediately assumed the lead and Alligator Blood who had drawn the outside barrier quickly assumed second position as they passed the finishing post for the first time.

First lap – Zaaki leads with Alligator Blood & Profondo in hot pursuit

Anamoe at this time had slotted into fourth spot, well situated to make a move later in the race.

Anamoe first lap in fourth place ahead of Laws of Indices

As the they turned the corner into the straight Anamoe, masterfully steered by James MacDonald, overtook the leaders and raced to the front to win by a narrow margin. I’m Thunderstruck, it seems the eternal bridesmaid, came from the back of the field to run second ahead of El Bodegon.

Anamoe overtakes Zaaki to go on and win the 2022 Cox Plate

Anamoe returns to scale

Anamoe in the winners rug

Anamoe – head shot

And so ended the 100th Cox Plate, which I must admit lived up to its promise and was a memorable occasion. Godolphin are to be commended for continuing to race Anamoe into his fourth year, rather than retiring him to stud as they normally would do. He has now won seven Group 1 races, his last four consecutively this Spring.

The Manikato Stakes, abandoned the previous night due to lightning,  was tacked onto the Cox Plate meeting as Race 11, but I did not stay for it, opting to head home after the feature event. Bella Nipotina registered her first Group 1 win, beating Rothfire by almost five lengths, with Best of Bordeaux running third.

Next Saturday I’m looking forward to heading to Flemington for the Victorian Derby -  a change of scene from Moonee Valley.

Not a day for favourites–2022 Caulfield Cup

Caulfield Cup 2022– Durston (pale blue silks) is about to take the lead from Gold Trip

It was in 2019 that I last attended the Caulfield Cup meeting, and I remember the day being cold, windy and wet. The appropriately  named Japanese trained Mer De Glace won the Cup.

This year it was overcast, a welcome change from the deluge that bedevilled Melbourne during the week, and it stayed dry throughout the afternoon.

As the Caulfield Cup was scheduled to run at the late time of 5.15pm, I took my time getting to the track, arriving just in time to watch Race 4, the Ethereal Stakes, a race for three year old fillies over 2000 metres. On a side note Ethereal won the Caulfield Cup in 2001 and the Melbourne Cup the same year.

The course was crowded so I had to settle on a spot on the fence far from the finishing post. I did however manage to get in some photo practice snapping shots of the field as they made their way to the starting gates.

The race was won by Renaissance Woman from Foxy Cleopatra and Pavitra.

 
Renaissance Woman

Foxy Cleopatra

Pavitra

I had better luck finding a good spot on the fence for the next races, by sneaking into the media area next to the public lawn, expecting to be thrown out, but I remained undisturbed. The only down side was having to listen to the inane conversations of  the regular punters occupying the lawn next to me

Here’s a photo of some of them…

Anyway, up next was the Gothic Stakes, a race for three year old colts and geldings run over 1400 metres.

Angry Skies started as favourite, but was relegated to second by Sandpaper who scored a narrow win. Custodian, who led throughout, finished third

Sandpaper (blue silks)  tackles Custodian up the straight

Race 6 was the listed Alinghi Stakes, a sprint over 1100 metres.  It resulted in a photo finish between A Very fine Red and Shalstar, with the former winning by a whisker. My photos of this race were a failure, but I had better luck with Race 7, another sprint, where Asfoora led from the start to the finish  to win by over two lengths from Kallos. Generation ran third a further two lengths behind.

Asfoora burns up the straight untroubled by challengers

By this time it was mid afternoon and there was only one more race to watch before the feature Caulfield Cup. This was the quite interesting Group 2 Tristarc Stakes for mares, run over 1400 metres. And of course The Everest was set to run at 4.15pm and more interesting than what was on offer at Caulfield. The unfancied light weight three year old Giga Kick beat the class field  at big odds. Hot Favourite Nature Strip finished fourth.

It was good to see the Peter Moody trained Chain of Lightning win again. She won the Tristarc Stakes easily from Palaisipan and Pride of Jenni.

Chain of Lightning on her way to winning the Tristarc Stakes

As Caulfield Cup fields go, this years edition was not all that inspiring. Smokin Romans who had won the Group 1 Turnbull Stakes at his last start was the favourite, but outsider Durston proved the winner in the end,  beating another long shot in Gold Trip to the line. Knights Order finished third.

Durston on his way to the barriers

Gold Trip on his way to the barriers

I headed home after the Caulfield Cup. It had been a moderately interesting afternoon of racing action, but better things beckon next Saturday with the Cox Plate at Moonee Valley.

A Golden Guineas Day at Caulfield

Golden Mile (blue silks) overtaking a wall of rivals to win the 2022 Caulfield Guineas

When the rain was bucketing down last Friday it certainly didn’t look  as if Saturday would be any different.

Thankfully the weather improved and for the most part remained dry and sunny over the course of the afternoon.

It was Guineas Day at Caulfield, one of the classiest race meetings of the Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival.

By a strange quirk of fate, overnight, the incomparable Winx had given birth to a filly foal by Pierro.

I well recall seeing Winx win her 12th straight race in the Caulfield Stakes on Guineas Day 2016, where she only faced two rivals in Black Heart Bart and He Or She; a most unusual race.

Of particular interest last Saturday, in fact not to be missed, was the Group 1 Might and Power Stakes (formerly called the Caulfield Stakes) which had attracted a Cox Plate quality field of eight contenders that included the likes of Zaaki, Anamoe, Alligator Blood, Mo’unga and I’m Thunderstruck pitted against each other.

As the best races were later in the afternoon, I took my time getting to the track and arrived just before Race 4, the Listed Village Stakes run over1200 metres.

This was won by Gravina, the first of four winners for Godolphin and James Cummings over the afternoon.

Gravina on his way to winning the Village Stakes

Having left it too late to get back to the rail in time, I was obliged to watch Race 5, the Group 2 Herbert Power Stakes, run over 2400 metres on a screen inside the Public Bar. Jamie Kah guided Saracen Knight to victory narrowly beating Makram and Desert Icon.

Race 6 was the Group 2 Schillaci Stakes, a sprint over 1100 and named for the brilliant grey speedster Schillaci who won eight Group 1 races in the 1990s.

Godolphin blue silks were to the fore again with race favourite  Paulele winning the bikkies from stablemate Ingratiating with Zoustyle running third.

Paulele neck and neck with Zoustyle as they zoom up the straight

As the Might and Power Stakes was up next Rebecca and I grabbed a spot on the fence early to witness the highly anticipated event. This was in an area next to the public lawn that we had to ourselves, though we were concerned that we would be told to leave by a security person. However we remained undisturbed so were able to photograph most of the field as they headed to the starting gates.

 
Alligator Blood – ran fourth

Anamoe – the winner

I’m Thunderstruck – ran second

Mo’unga – finished last

Nonconformist – seventh

Anamoe is regarded as the new star of the turf having in his short career won six Group 1 races. Most recently, besides Saturday's Might and Power Stakes, he also won  the Winx Stakes and George Main Stakes in Sydney. He actually won the Caulfield Guineas last year.

I've only seen Anamoe in the flesh once before where he ran second in the Blue Diamond Prelude behind General Beau in the Autumn of 2021.

Naturally  Anamoe started as the short priced favourite and raced handy in fourth spot, whilst Alligator Blood led the field with Zaaki close behind him.  Zaaki seized the lead in the straight but was overrun near the finishing post by Anamoe with I’m Thunderstruck on his tail running second.  It was an exciting race that lived up to its promise and we felt privileged to have witnessed Anamoe demonstrate his brilliance. He’s now hot favourite for the Cox Plate, which he could well win.

Might & Power Stakes finish – Zaaki leads but Anamoe is about to overtake him

Anamoe returns to scale after winning the Might & Power Stakes

We stayed in our spot to await the Caulfield Guineas which was up next, unwilling to leave in case we couldn’t get back to it.

As Caulfield Guineas go it wasn’t one of the strongest.  There were several live chances, but Golden Mile started as the warm favourite and prevailed narrowly from Elliptical and Osipenko. Less than a length separated the first five home.

A wall of horses thunders up the straight – Golden Mile (blue silks) is about to overtake them all

Golden Mile on his way to the barriers

Elliptical on his way to the barriers

Osipenko on his way to the barriers

The final Group 1 race of the day was the Toorak Handicap, run over 1600 metres, but as the afternoon was drawing in, I decided not to stay for it and headed home.

The afternoon had remained fine except for a drizzle of rain just before the Might And Power Stakes which barely wet the ground.

I’m looking forward to attending the Caulfield Cup meeting next Saturday and hope for another sunny day.