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Winx an all time great, plus four more talking points from the Cox Plate

Winx at Moonee Valley.(AAP Image/Joe Castro)
Roar Guru
22nd October, 2016
20

What a performance from Winx, going back-to-back – I am absolutely lost for words in describing the mare’s victory.

All the wash-up from the Cox plate:
» Who won, who lost
» Watch the replay

She was absolutely dominant with an eight-length win over Hartnell second, who recently had three wins for a combined length of 17 lengths.

Winx blew Hartnell away on the turn and simply didn’t look back. She becomes the first horse since So You Think in 2009-10 to go back to back and joins a group of greats in Sunline, Northerly, Kingston Town, Hydrogen, Young Idea and Phar Lap.

Oh and did I mention she’s now won 13 in a row?

Chris Waller “We’ll be back.”
Winx’s trainer Chris Waller declared that if the mare was fit and okay to race next year he wants to win three in a row. There is the temptation to take her overseas but all indicators are she will shoot for three consecutive Cox Plates.

Bigger things in mind for Hartnell?
He didn’t have the speed to go with Winx when the whips were cracking. But it looked like he still had plenty to give if he was to go to the 3200m.

He is the current favourite for the race that stops a nation, and connections will see how he pulls up before deciding whether he takes part.

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Lots of comments from connections, including jockey James McDonald, that this one wasn’t her track.

Vadamos hangs on to fourth
The European Galloper went early, and was gutsy in holding on for fourth when he looked completely beaten. Will certainly benefit from his first run in Australia.

Yankee Rose was impressive
To run third as a three-year-old is a big effort from Yankee Rose when you consider her run to the Cox Plate. To finish not far behind Hartnell in the form he is in, you get the sense she has a promising career ahead of her.

Happy Trails is past his best
It was sad to see one of my favourites finish at the tail end of the field, once Happy Trails was a horse you would consider a good ‘roughie’ over 2000m in a Group 1.

Those days are gone, he was well below the best in this field.

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