Ocean Park has won the 2012 Cox Plate, beating All Too Hard in a close duel to the winning post, jockey Glen Boss kicking home the Kiwi galloper to a $1.8 million dollar win.
Nathan Tinkler owned All Too Hard was the leader down the straight and carrying just 49.5kgs in the weight-for-age conditions was every chance, but was chased down bravely by Ocean Park.
The pair went stride for stride for more than 50m as Ocean park continued to rally to the line.
The pair gapped the field with three lengths to Pierro, who finished third to frank the three-year old form throughout the Spring Carnival.
Winning jockey Boss told Channel Nine that the win was one of his finest moments in the sport – despite winning three Melbourne Cups on Makybe Diva – and fired a shot at the knockers of his Kiwi galloper as he basked in the win, “This horse is just a winner. To all the doubters – stick that up your jumper!”
Unbeaten this spring, Ocean Park’s Hong Kong owners were overjoyed with the win, having flown in just for the race.
Ocean Park is trained by New Zealand based Gary Hennessy, who resides in Matamata, and becomes the first horse to string together four Group I victories in the one campaign, culminating in this Cox Plate win.
2012 Cox Plate results
First: Ocean Park
Second: All Too Hard
Third: Pierro
Fourth: Ethiopia
Last: Rekindled Interest
Racetime: 2.04.14
| Placing | Horse | Jockey | Comment |
| 1st | Ocean Park | Glen Boss | It feels like my greatest achievement in this sport so far. I know I’ve done some wonderful things but I’ve been in this colt’s corner the whole time and there’s been doubters but I kept saying he is a winner. He just wants to win, he just wants to beat whatever is in front of him. My horse doesn’t care what time they run, he doesn’t care what’s in front of him, he just wants to beat them and once he gets there he just switches off. The tempo was good but he blew the start for me a touch and I was always going to try to ride him back. I wanted to be the hunter today because when he is the hunted he is probably not as impressive so I thought I would do the staling today. I got on the back of Green Moon but he looked like he wasn’t going to take me anywhere so I got outside him and ripped past him and once he saw the bunny when he straightened up he just let go. |
| 2nd | ALL TOO HARD | Chris Munce | He ran super. The two leaders dropped off quicker than I needed. |
| 3rd | PIERRO | Corey Brown | I think the Caulfield Guineas took the edge right off him, he lost the bridle at the 700, he didn’t ping, but he still kept coming and coming. If he had that edge he finishes right on their backs. He was game in defeat. Gee whiz he feels like a Rolls Royce under you. No wonder Nash (Rawiller) has had so much fun on him. |
| 4th | Ethiopia | Rhys McLeod | He switched off nice (in front) we made sure it was a good gallop from the half mile and he stuck to his guns well. They were just maybe a bit too sharp for him. If he pulls up good in 10 days time I think he’ll be a chance (in the Melbourne Cup). |
| 5th | Shoot Out | Hugh Bowman | Yep, good performance. |
| 6th | Southern Speed | Luke Nolen | I couldn’t go anywhere at the half mile. I was on Bossy’s back but I don’t know if she struggled with the hill here or not but then she closed it off really good. I don’t know where they go now either the (Melbourne) Cup or freshen up into the Mackinnon. |
| 7th | GREEN MOON | Craig Williams | We never had the sweetest run but I was a beaten horse so far out. From the 600 I was pretty much flat. He did hang in the straight so I’d like to see how he cools down to see if there’s any abnormality. |
| 8th | Proisir | Craig Newitt | He went alright. He just got attacked. We did a bit of work around the first turn and as soon as we turned the half mile slide he pulled the bat on Ethiopia and poured the pressure right on. In 12 months time he’ll make the grade. |
| 9th | Sincero | Michael Rodd | He pulled really hard. The blinkers on probably had the wrong affect on him. |
| 10th | Happy Trails | Kerrin McEvoy | We got into a nice spot early then Nash was laying in on me down the side, for the whole race, and once we came out at the 800 we never really got a smooth run. |
| 11th | More Joyous | Nash Rawiller | She never had any luck early. The pressure was right on from the word go and I came back to try and get in but it didn’t happen so it was a bit of a forget run. |
| 12th | Linton | Steven Arnold | I gave him the chance to settle early and he worked into it good around the corner then just whacked away. |
| 13th | Glass Harmonium | James McDonald | He is his own worst enemy. If he gets away I reckon he’s in the finish somewhere because he’s a real fighter. He finished off okay. |
| Last | Rekindled Interest | Dwayne Dunn | We had a great run but he was disappointing. He didn’t want to be here today. |
Ocean Park trivia: The horse is named after “Hoi Yun Gung Yun”, a popular Hong Kong theme park.
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