Australasia's WFA Championship exploded into life last year when a 3yo at his fifth start bolted in. Those of weak mind and doubtful heart have no place sticking their nose into this cauldron. Initially the Cox Plate was the Moonee Valley Cup's sideshow but it is now elevated to mainstream folklore. Can we see more of the Dulcify performances or see another Bonecrusher/Our Waverley Star duel?
2005 – MAKYBE DIVA 7m (Desert King x Tugela) ($2 fav)
Jockey: Glen Boss, Trainer: Lee Freedman
Barrier: 4, Weight: 55.5kg
Gross Time: 2:09.27, 600m Sectional: 36.17
Margin: 1.3L, Track: Slow, Starters: 14
2nd: Lotteria (54.0kg), 3rd: Fields of Omagh (58.0kg)
Have you ever seen a vision like the wall of equine flesh which surged past the school in 2005. It was like every jockey dared the one outside to go and they took up the gauntlet. Makybe Diva had to overcome some modern day hoodoos, the worst of which may have been that no horse trained essentially in Victoria had won a Cox Plate since Super Impose in 1992. But breaking records was her modus operandi and she handled the pressure to perfection. 3yo Hotel Grand led but he was making up the numbers and Desert War was unsuited to the tight MV circuit. When the 800m mark arrived the itchy fingers began with God's Own and Xcellent starting the momentum and all inside pushed up much like the Tour de France peleton struggling with the high winds entering the Pyrenees mountain range. The only horse that missed the boat was Lad of the Manor but by the final bend there was only one jockey looking left and looking right and travelling on the bit. Glen Boss was giggling and Makybe put the issue beyond doubt while Lotteria and amazingly Fields of Omagh filled the placings. If this wasn't historic enough, the next trip to the races would bring a nation to tears.
2006 – FIELDS OF OMAGH 9g (Rubiton x Finneto) ($21)
Jockey: Craig Williams, Trainer: David Hayes
Barrier: 7, Weight: 58.0kg
Gross Time: 2:06.89, 600m Sectional: 35.59
Margin: 0.1L, Track: Good, Starters: 12
2nd: El Segundo (58.0kg), 3rd: Pompeii Ruler (56.5kg)
Please examine the record of this remarkable horse. He started in 5 Cox Plates with finishing positions 5th, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 1st. When you consider he'd hardly be regarded as an all time great, Fields of Omagh should at the very least be recognised for this wonderful achievement. As the only horse David Hayes still trained that his late brother Peter put the collar over, there was a poignant attachment here. Again the non stayers like Apache Cat & Red Dazzler took it up with Aqua D'Amore and Pompeii Ruler following. Sydney's glamour horse Racing to Win was given the short, back and sides, racing wide and injuring himself and 3yo filly Miss Finland was ridden, let's say, without conviction. Craig Newitt pounced on the turn with Pompeii Ruler but he may gone a fraction early as both El Segundo and then Fields of Omagh made wide runs to challenge. With blinkers on, FOO bobbed right on the post nabbing his rival and causing mayhem for his connections who had announced his retirement during the week. He became the 12th horse to win more than once.
2007 – EL SEGUNDO 6g (Pins x Palos Verdes) ($7)
Jockey: Luke Nolen, Trainer: Colin Little
Barrier: 7, Weight: 59.0kg
Gross Time: 2:06.33, 600m Sectional: 34.13
Margin: 2L, Track: Good, Starters: 13
2nd: Wonderful World (57.5kg), 3rd: Haradasun (57.5kg)
The word redemption was so apt for all concerned with El Segundo. This ever improving horse was desperately unlucky to miss the bob of the head the previous year in FOO's swansong. But as we've seen in recent history, horses have a habit of coming back after being placed the year prior eg Our Poetic Prince, Super Impose, Solvit and Fields of Omagh. Devil Moon got fired up, swishing the tail and Miss Finland worked forward but with Oliver caught three wide, he took Haradasun to the lead in what was an unconventional role for him. With Wonderful World in front of him, El Segundo was put into the race by Luke Nolen, riding him more aggressively than usual but did it work beautifully. Just as Wonderful World looked to heading for a massive upset, Nolen unleased El Segundo's renowned 250m sprint and gave those inside him a cold. He surprised Nolen by ducking in under the whip and inside the final 50m he cleaned up WW but it made not a skerrick of difference to the result. Injuries hampered him although 4th in 2009 and is now retired.
2008 – MALDIVIAN 6g (Zabeel x Shynzi) ($11)
Jockey: Michael Rodd, Trainer: Mark Kavanagh
Barrier: 6, Weight: 59.0kg
Gross Time: 2:06.92, 600m Sectional: 34.20
Margin: 1L, Track: Good, Starters: 12
2nd: Zipping (59.0kg), 3rd: Samantha Miss (47.5kg)
Twelve months and one week ago Mark Kavanagh's racing world was in tatters. Maldivian had gone off in the gates, gashed himself and the Caulfield Cup plunge was gone. Years of work may also have been left in the stalls at the Heath. But 127 seconds later that was a memory. Strangely his form was tapering off. Early he was going well but the Caulfield run was poor. ‘Kav' had one more trick up the sleeve – throw him over the sticks. A few hurdles in the middle of Flemington got the Zabeel's mind on the job. While he went forward to lead, Theseo looked like getting it. But for some reason Nash didn't go on with it and Michael Rodd controlled the race. For 1000m mid-race it was a quiet affair. With Samantha Miss settling 4th, Danny Nikolic was sick of the speed so he took off on Zipping and got running at the 800. There were four across the track before the bend but Rodd was the only one who hadn't gone for the whip. Maldivian came away from Zipping with the filly running out of her skin. It was an unbelievable day for Kavanagh with Whobe winning the Vase and Sea Battle the Crystal Mile.
2009 – SO YOU THINK 3c (High Chaparral x Triassic) ($13)
Jockey: Glen Boss, Trainer: Bart Cummings
Barrier: 7, Weight: 49.5kg
Gross Time: 2:03.98, 600m Sectional: 35.31
Margin: 2.5L, Track: Good, Starters: 13
2nd: Manhattan Rain (49.5kg), 3rd: Zipping (59.0kg)
Now I reckon everyone thought they had seen it all. And then Bart goes and trumps them again. He produces a 3yo, at its fifth run, to win our biggest WFA race in an absolute canter. But it's not like he had it easy. So You Think ran the second fastest Cox Plate in history. He was well fancied in the Caulfield Guineas as third fav after some top runs in Sydney. But after failing out the back like others, he probably scraped into the Plate field on Bart's name alone. Boss fired him out to get a spot but no one wanted the lead and he revealed afterwards he had no intention of leading himself. Manhattan Rain crossed over with him and the 3yos were 1, 2 for much of the way. Scenic Shot was first to go then Zipping made a run at the school before fading while Whobegotyou was simply disappointing. But while these were plodding, the big colt showed, despite greenness, what raw power he had to kick clear at the 250m and put a gap in them. Glen even had time to pose on the line while Gai's colt was colossal in second, Zipping rallied again to place as he had done 12 months earlier and El Segundo was brave too. It gave Bart his fourth Plate and was another of High Chaparral's great 3yo season. He was almost as good in defeat in the Emirates when perhaps not so well ridden.
RACE PROFILE
You'd think in the smallish fields that the Cox Plate is confined to, that barriers would have little impact but there haven't been too many double figure draws to succeed.
Moonee Valley specialists are suited with all but the 3yos being regular quality performers in the Cox Plate and the Dato Tan Chin Nam.
Don't want to give away too much ground as most winners have been in the first six settling down although two of last three were rearward.
Before Bossy, the previous seven Cox Plate winning jockeys were first timers.
It's been a great race for the beaten to come back and conquer with the likes of El Segundo, Fields of Omagh, Solvit, Super Impose, and Our Poetic Prince amongst others to gain redemption.
Only four mare winners in the last 25 years (Makybe Diva, Sunline x 2 & Dane Ripper).
In the last 26 years only Red Anchor ('84), Octagonal ('95), Savabeel ('04) & So You Think ('09) have won as a 3yo.
Only one 3yo filly has ever won – Surround ('76).
You'd think in such a quality WFA field that favourites would dominate but recently double figure winners have been common.
Last 10 Winners Most Prevalent Age of winner – 6yo (4 times)
Last 10 Years Winningest Barrier Range <5-8> - 7 times
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