W. S. Cox Plate.

For those who know little of Australian racing, the Cox Plate is concidered the Weight For Age championship of this part of the world. It's a race that's been won by the true heavyweights of the past, among them, Phar Lap, Mayke Diva, So You Think, Bonecrusher, Tulloch, Kingston Town etc. The race is run on the unique Moonee Valley course in Melbourne, a track that measures just 1805m in circumference and has a straight of only 173m.

The race is run over 2040m and is worth $3,000,000, it's also one of the most hotly contested races in the country. With about a half mile to travel, things will begin to really heat up. Down a small incline and onto the bend, the guns will all be drawn. This where the men will be sorted from the boys, so to speak. On the corner, it will usually be down to only a couple with the better chances.

Not only is the race unique in itself, so too is the barrier draw to the event. When a horse is drawn, the trainer gets to select a barrier for the animal. It can create havoc. It happened this week with More Joyous and her trainer Gai Waterhouse, and the horse's owner, media magnate John Singleton. Before hand, Singleton asked Waterhouse to get somewhere around the 4,5,6 slot if she had the chance. As it turned out, More Joyous was the first name out of the "hat." Waterhouse elected to place the animal in the 11 hole. Singleton spat. "I love Gai but this is bloody madness," he said. He added. "This isn't death, it is suicide," Singleton said. "It will be almost impossible for her to win now. He pointed out that only 8 horses in the last 70 years have win from there or further out. With 10 G1 winners in the the field, and having already amassed about $25,000,000 between them in stakes, the race is something to savor.

Hopefully the race can be seen at 3:15 Eastern Daylight Summer Time on the link below.

http://www.racingnetwork.com.au/?ref=Net-Header-Sport-HorseRacing

 

Seems that she reckons that the horse needs galloping room. When More Joyous has campaigned in Melbourne, she hasn't liked the conditions. Some are suggesting that the mare goes off the boil pretty quick. Her first 4-4 runs in are brilliant, but over the last couple of seasons, she went cold after that. Who knows, maybe Waterhouse knows the horse better than the owner. There is a lot of chat about how the race is going to be run and Gai's three runners are the hot topic. Will they press forward or go back. After taking 11 for MJ, you have to wonder if she will be hooked back, or be given the rev up out wide, and clear of the other runners.


I was going to do a write up on the race but never got around to it. There are probably about 8-10 trainers who say they can win this thing. So when they drop the hammer at the 800, the **** will hit the fan. a man many consider to be the best rider in the country, Craig Williams, has dumped the ride on the drifting favourite Pierro and taken the sit on Green Moon. Nice tip. Ocean Park is being talked up big time too. Then there are the three, three year olds. That age group does not have that flash a record in the race, but they are very good horses, so you never know. Throw in last year's Caulfield Cup winner who has been set for this, and it starts to look bloody marvelous. On top of that, there still others with chances. Salivating mate.

 

Live on ATR at 7.15 am. Might just set the alarm, it being a Saturday. Didn't Craig Williams spend a summer (winter for him) over here a couple of years back? Perhaps i'll get on this Green Moon.

 

I don't know Archer. I know he's made some trips to Asia, but there were lightning visits. He's one hell of a rider. His win on Dunadin in the Caulfield Cup last Saturday was a cracker.

 

After that build up its a must watch.

 

I'm all over More Joyous for this as previous threads confirm.
Yes the owner isn't happy with Gai picking the 11 box, but this could just be a genius call by the trainer, this is race 15 over a track that will cut up than suggests that from the rails and 3 or 4 deep will be tricky to negotiate especially as the previous 14 races will have taken their toll on the ground, Gai also said that the inside runners put in a fair amount work to maintain their position in teh early stages and that from middle/wide you can switch your horse off and let them coast the first 1200 metres.
Interestingly, the horse was backed from 10s into 7s as soon as the draw was made despite the gobby drunken owner threatening to scratch the horse and sack the trainer....

 

Amazing cast from you website Cyc. thanks

 

Geez the more I look at the race Oddy, the more the 10kgs the three year olds get seems huge. Anything can win this.

 

Yeah, More Joyous being four deep out the straight finished her. Three deep the rest of the trip. No hope. I think the second horse has a huge future.