Stepping Up To The Plate
STEPPING UP TO THE PLATE
While the G1 Melbourne Cup is indeed ‘The Race that Stops a Nation,’ and the G1 Golden Slipper certainly signifies the speed and precocity that embodies the Australian Thoroughbred, it is perhaps the G1 Cox Plate, Australia’s A$3 million weight-for-age showpiece, that is the most sought-after by Australian owners, breeders and trainers alike. Contested over 2040 meters of Moonee Valley’s quirky, nearly square track, the Cox Plate–due to it’s unusual track configuration and weight-for-age scale–may be one of the more difficult races in the land to win, making it all the more desirable. Those that have saluted in the Cox Plate include some of the best-known legends of the Australian turf, and indeed horses that have gone on to make their presence felt worldwide. Horses like Kingston Town (Aus), who holds the record of three wins in the race; 10-time Group 1 winner Octagonal (NZ), the sire of champion sire Lonhro (Aus); the globetrotting champion Strawberry Road (Aus), who went on to become an influential sire and broodmare sire worldwide and the famed Phar Lap (NZ), who boasts two Cox Plates on his resume. More recent winners include the great New Zealand mare Sunline (NZ) (Desert Sun {GB}) and middle-distance champion Northerly (Aus) (Serheed), who each won back-to-back editions between 1999 and 2002; the peerless staying mare Makybe Diva (GB) (Desert King {Ire}) and dual winner So You Think (NZ) (High Chaparral {Ire}), who went on to win five Group 1s in Europe.
Have Faith in Fawkner…
Popular Australian owner Lloyd Williams has never won the Cox Plate, but that is in line to change if the punters are correct about his reliable gelding Fawkner (Aus) (Reset {Aus}), who firmed into clear-cut favoritism after drawing barrier four Tuesday. A regular in the top-level middle-distance contests the last two years, Fawkner scored his most important victory to date in last year’s G1 Caulfield Cup over 2400 meters. He made up ground to be an eye-catching sixth in last year’s G1 Melbourne Cup after traveling last of 24, and has proven thus far this prep that his seven years have not caught up with him. He finished second, beaten a head, first-up over a mile in the G1 Makybe Diva S. Sept. 13, and captured the G1 Caulfield S. two weeks ago. Perhaps the only knock against Fawkner is his one-for-four record over the course, but Nick Williams, who manages the racing interests of his father, noted that two of those efforts were over distances much too short for the Robert Hickmott charge.
“Two of his runs here have been over 1200 meters at Group 1 [level],” he told Racenet.com.au. “We targeted this race as soon as his preparation completed last spring. The Cox Plate would be his aim and he hasn’t put a foot out of place.”
Fawkner has shipped to the course to train a few times in recent weeks.
“We’ve made sure he’s had a bit of experience around the Valley,” Williams added.
Fawkner’s sire, Reset, who was also campaigned by Williams, sired the 2011 Cox Plate heroine Pinker Pinker (Aus).
New Zealand Strong…
New Zealand-breds have fared particularly well in the Cox Plate, and have claimed the trophy in five of the last seven renewals. A trio of tomorrow’s runners carry the ‘NZ’ suffix, headed by second choice Sacred Falls (NZ) (O’Reilly {NZ}). Expatriated to Australia after winning the G1 NZ 2000 Guineas two years ago, Sacred Falls earned his first domestic Group 1 for trainer Chris Waller in last year’s G1 Doncaster Mile. A seven-race cold spell ensued, but the dark bay nonetheless defended his title from stablemate Royal Descent (Aus) (Redoute’s Choice {Aus}) Apr. 12. He finished second just a week later in the G1 Queen Elizabeth S.–Australia’s new richest weight-for-age prize–over 2000 meters, and got back to the winner’s circle third-up over a mile in the G1 George Main S. Sept. 20. The 5-year-old came from last to be fourth in the Caulfield S., one slot behind the reopposing Criterion (NZ) (Sebring {Aus}), last season’s G1 Rosehill Guineas and G1 Australian Derby winner who rallied late to nearly catch Fawkner. The trio of Kiwis is brought up by the 6-year-old mare Silent Achiever (NZ) (O’Reilly {NZ}), whose four-race win streak last season included the G1 New Zealand S., G1 Ranvet S. and G1 The BMW. The Roger James charge has not shown much this campaign, finishing off the board in three outings, including a most recent ninth in the G1 Turnbull S. Oct. 4, but it is worth noting that it took her five starts to find the winner’s circle last season before the start of her streak. James indicated Silent Achiever has reached peak fitness, and said the three week’s rest after the Turnbull will be in her favor.
“She’s taken time to get fit but appears to be there now,” he told Racenet.com.au. “That three weeks between runs should be perfect for her. Her work has been perfect and I’m very happy with where she’s at.”
‘Australia’ Again for Ballydoyle…
This year’s Ballydoyle star Australia (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) may have already hung up his shoes, but Coolmore have another chance yet to clinch a big international prize in the form of the aptly named Adelaide (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). The Derrick Smith colorbearer, who will be the first Cox Plate starter for trainer Aidan O’Brien, won the G3 Gallinule S. at The Curragh in May, and earned his first win at the highest level in the GI Secretariat S. at Arlington Aug. 16. Adelaide finished an eye-catching third after being hopelessly boxed in in the G2 Prix Niel at Longchamp Sept. 14, and although he enjoys a six-pound weight break from the heavyweights here, he was not helped by Tuesday’s draw, landing out in barrier 13. While noting that Adelaide traveled well and is in good order, Coolmore Australia’s Tom Magnier recognized the task ahead.
“Personally, I think it’s a huge ask to bring a horse all the way from Ireland down to Moonee Valley, but he traveled well,” Magnier told RSN Radio. “To have a runner in the Cox Plate is very exciting. He’s the kind of horse that might suit the racing down here, but there haven’t been that many horses come down for the Cox Plate. It’s a first for us. We’re in the game of making stallions, so it’s something we’re going to try this year and see how it goes. We’ll learn a lot off it anyway.”
Adelaide gets the services of leading jockey Ryan Moore, who has ridden him in his last two starts.
The Lion Roars…
The fairytale story of this year’s Cox Plate is no doubt that of The Cleaner (Aus) (Savoire Vivre {GB})–dubbed ‘The Lion of Longford’–who will become the first starter in the race from Tasmania. Bred in the island state town of Longford by a family known for its eventing horses, The Cleaner was sold to trainer Mick Burles for A$10,000 as a yearling at the Magic Millions Tasmanian yearling sale and has since won 18 of 43 starts. The 7-year-old gelding appears to be only improving with age, and after previously splitting his time between Australia and the mainland has gone three-for-three at Moonee Valley this campaign, including the G2 Dato Tan Chin Nam S. Sept. 6 and the G3 JRA Cup over the Cox Plate distance Sept. 26. The Cleaner was not helped by the draw, where he landed widest of all, and he will have to be on his toes at the break to ensure he can take up his favored position on the front end on the short run into the first turn.