Tomorrow in Melbourne, the G1 $3,000,000 Tatts W.S. Cox Plate again takes pride of place at Moonee Valley. Run over the 2040m trip, the time honoured event is generally accepted as the WFA Championship of Australasia. It might not be as well known as the Melbourne Cup, but the class of horse contesting this wonderful event, is almost always a cut above the battlers that go to the post in the big two miler. Some true champions have won “the race that stops the nation,” but so to have some lesser lights. This can’t be said about the Cox Plate. It’s known colloquially as the “race where champions are made.” But again it’s more than this, for a lot of horses enter this race, already champions in their own right. It takes a special animal to win the Cox Plate. It’s a race like no other in Australia. The vital ingredient that sets this race apart from all others, is the course itself. With a circumference of just 1805m and a run in of only 173m, the track forces the combatants to drop the hammer well before they usually would. The pace will be on as the leave the straight the first time, so the field will string out a little as it settles. This leaves a problem for everyone. Those up front will not want to burn too much fuel, while those back in the field will not want to give the leaders a free ride. So those out back will start to stoke up the fires from about a 1,000 out. This will force the hand of others just in front of them, as they won’t want to lose their privileged positions. As they move, those in front of them will be in the same boat. So you generally find that the race can change in the twinkling of an eye. One second everything is fine, then the next second, the **** has well and truly hit the fan. The tension is ratcheted up until the top is blown off the race at about the 400m mark. It’s then, all hands to the pump. The following is a quick run down on this years field. 1. EFFICIENT. R. Hickmott. Steven King. A wonderful racehorse who’s getting a bit long in the tooth. Won the Melbourne Cup in 07 after taking out the VRC Derby the previous year, but has been injury prone during his career since then. Spent 2 years out through problems and has had just the 2 runs this time in. His owner LLoyd Williams has been known to pull 7 figure amounts in successful punts, which augurs well here as he’s been well supported at long odds. The stable say he flying. He’ll go in as an under dog, but he’ll bring the house down if he wins. He’ll probably get back. 20-1. 2. DESCARADO. SCRATCHED. 3. WALL STREET.J. Lynds. Darren Beadman. Another oldie who’ll get back. 7th here last year when reared in stalls. Winner of 4 G1 events last season, 3 in NZ, and the Emirates at Flemington. Hasn’t come back as well. Got home ok in his last 2 races when 4th, at G1 level. An outsider, but can figure if he puts his best foot forward. 70-1 4. GLASS HARMONIUM. M. Moroney. Damien Oliver. UK neddy who comes here after a lightening visit to Japan. Seems to settling in well. Spent the Winter in Brisbane where he went well. Has raced in 7 G1 &2 races here and been placed in all but one. Gets up on the pace, so should be it for a long way, but as he’s Cup bound, he might struggle when they sprint. Not out of it though. 12-1. 5. JIMMY CHOUX. J. Bary. Jonathan Riddell. The pride of NZ. Came across last March and won Rosehill Guineas, then nothing in AJC Derby. Back to Kiwiland he rand second G1, then back to back G1 wins in the best of company. Was equal Favourite with Helmet, but didn’t go well Tuesday at track work. He may have just had an off morning though. He worked the house down yesterday. Has the pace to be in the first half of the field in running. 9-2. 6. SINCERO. S. Farley. Chris O’Brien. Crack sprinter looking to move up. Won the 1400m million dollar Stradbroke in June, then went to Sydney where he won 1400m G3 Tramway and 1500m G1 George main. Stepped up to the mile Doncaster but not up to it. Last up, mid field G1 2000, Caulfield stakes. Never in it. The trip does appear too far, but he has serious speed. 22-1. 7. LION TAMER. M. Baker. Hugh Bowman. VRC Derby winner last season when up on the pace. Ran nice 4th first up in NZ in G1 race over sprint course, then came to Oz. Won G1 Underwood 1800m, came from mid field to win easily. Then last time, put in shocker G1 Caulfield Stakes 2000m. Was 5th on corner, but stopped. Looking towards the Cup, so might not have the leg speed for this. 13-1. 8. PLAYING GOD. N. Parnham. Steven Parnham. WA galloper with solid record at home. Has had 4 runs on the East coast and has been in the mix. First up in G2 Makye Diva 1600m came home hard to just miss a place. Then in G1 Underwood, 5th when again made run late, but stopped last 100m. 3rd in G1 Turnbull 2000m, when again ran on, but failed in the G1 Caulfield Stks. Probably not up to it. 60-1. 9. REKINDLED INTEREST. J. Conlan. Dwayne Dunn. Even though he won A G2 here over this trip, and ran a nice 5th in the VRC Derby, he seems to have exploded on the scene of late. two runs back won G2 Dato 1600 here, then ran nice 5th in the Turnbull, coming fast late. Was the star track worker last Tuesday when he flogged Jimmy Choux. Has been heavily supported since. Loves the place. 6-1. 10. SHAMROCKER. D. O’Brien. Steven Arnold. Cracking 3yo filly of last season. Won G2 VRC Sires Produce 1400m, G1 Australian Guineas 1600m, AJC Australian Derby 2400m, but has been just a shadow of herself this time in. Ran a fair 8th G2 Memsie 1400m. Then 13 of 14 G1 Underwood 1800m. Then 7 of 12 G1 Turnbull 2000m Hard to have on recent form, but trainer thinks her track work might see her return to her best. 50-1. 11. PINKER PINKER. G. Eurell. Craig Williams. A mare who is racing in fine fettle. Only stepped up to Group racing in her last three starts. In the first of those, in G2 she won over 1400m Flemington, then next, she went down in a photo after a torrid run in transit G2 1600m here. Then went to Sydney for the G1 Epsom 1600m, where she finished a gallant 2nd. Might find these a bit too hot, but she’s by no means the worst in the race. A chance. 20-1. 12. SECRET ADMIRER. G. Begg. B. Avdulla. Another mare who is flying. Sydneysider who come here off the back of a cracking win G1 Epsom 1600m. She came from 14th on the corner to easily win. Huge effort. Disappointing effort before that when 4th as favourite in G2 Shannon 1500m. When asked she gave nothing. Vet found nothing. But her last win was astounding. At this trip and company, she has her work cut out, but if she can reproduce the Epsom run, she’ll take some beating. 11-1. 13. KING'S ROSE. P. Moody. Luke Nolan. Classy Kiwi mare who likes this track. At here first run in Aust, she won G2 Memsie 1400m, then won in G2 Stock Stakes 1600m here. Then second G1 Toorak over 1600m. Has the speed to be in the first half in running, but whether she’s up to the job when they go, is another matter. 10-1. 14. HELMET.14 P. Snowden. Kerrin McEvoy. Sheikh Mohammed is expected to make the trip to see his latest Aust “superstar” strut his stuff. Had a huge G1 Caulfield Guineas 1600m win last up when he charged to the front and was never headed. Has a big job ahead as only one three year old has won the race in 30 years. As he’s drawn badly, McEvoy is going to have to put in the ride of his life if he’s to win this. He’s been known to find trouble if he gets back. As there will be a heap of pace, he is either going to spend some serious fuel early, or risk being trapped wide. McEvoy will be desperate for cover. Another who’ll be heading to the Northern Hemisphere next season. 9-4. 15. AVENIUS. M. Webb. Brad Rawiller. Won a G2 1600m here last season. She just seems to be coming right as she went down less than a length in G1 Caulfield Stakes 2000m. Has the natural speed to be close in running, but the opposition is pretty hot. 60-1.
Thanks Cyc, great preview. What time is the race ? Do I stay up and crack open another bottle of Barolo or do I set the alarm ? And...........................who wins ?
Cyc there is also the small matter of Black Caviar going for her 15th straight win on the same card - should be a cracking days racing
Ok Oddy, I'm not too hot on the time, but about 7:30 GMT...give or take an hour. As for the winner, no idea mate. The race is a bloody raffle. If Helmut gets rolled, there will be great value about the winner. It's time like this that I'm glad I don't bet.
Cyc - I may have got this completely wrong but is the race not 2.35pm local time ? If so that would suggest a 5.35am UK start time ? Money for Rekindled Interest and Lion Tamer in last day or so....
I don't really have a favourite Islander. But I would like to see Helmet get to the front and try to run them off their feet, but I fear that he might be ridden a bit on the quiet side. The one animal I'd love to see run a big race though, is Efficient. He's a grand old horse.
You say he has been out with an injury over the last few years,so no Kms put on the old guy,could be ready for one last good run. Fingers crossed that he does not re injure himself. Think i will go with Rekindled Interest,looks as if they have it primed just at the right time.
Good news, DRF are showing races 4 through 8 live with free pp's, race 4 starts at 12.30 am local time.
Cyc: Good day! Amazing what one learns on this forum! All fingers and thumbs, made typo error and put in W.W.Cox instead of W.S., so learnt all about Pat Garret the guy who killed Billy The Kid! Fascinating reading! Haven't a clue on the Cox Plate this year, hope your front runner holds on and wins it. Islanderpei: Good day! What's DRF?
The Schweppes Stakes in which Black Caviar and Scenic Blast are both running is due off at 0520 UK time Cox Plate is due off at 0735 UK time (I like Secret Admirer for that if she stays) ATR showing both races in the UK
I've taken a chance on Efficient, I think the rest seem a bit of a close matched group and just thought that this horse, if back to its best, might look the value call.
Sensational run by Pinker Pinker. The sky shot of the race showed a brilliant turn of foot from the 600m. She seemed to be going two to their one when Williams let her go. Wonderful ride too.
Just woke up from my alarm thinking the World Cup Final was on, gutted. Tomorrow isn't it! Cyc what ya reckon for the final race then? Great win for Pinker Pinker.
