2017 Cox Plate preview: Winx chases history

The Caulfield Cup Carnival has been and gone for another year, providing us with another battler-made-good story that racing loves to thrust our way. This time it came in the form of Cory Parish on Boom Time.

Now it is Moonee Valley’s turn to shine, with a Group 1 night/day double. The Manikato Stakes for the sprinters holds pride of place on Friday night under lights, while the Cox Plate is the race we’re all waiting for to see Winx race herself into equine immortality alongside Kingston Town.

Winx has now won 21 races on end, and is seeking her third Cox Plate in a row.

Her first Cox Plate was won as a four-year-old in a short, sharp three-run campaign. She had raced beyond the Sydney autumn as a three-year-old, heading up to Queensland where her current winning streak began, and thus carried some residual fitness into her 2015 spring.

She won the Theo Marks from last in breathtaking fashion, in what was a sign of things to come. She then followed this up by winning the Epsom by an effortless couple of lengths, her first open age Group 1 victory.

Winx won her first Cox Plate by almost five lengths after making the most of barrier one and a lightning rail bias prevalent on the day, leaving international Group 1 horses like Criterion and Highland Reel in her wake. Let’s not forget Highland Reel has since won five international Group 1 races since being defeated by Winx.

Her second Cox Plate was the fourth run of her 2016 spring campaign, continuing the theme of being only lightly raced. Her prep included wins in the Warwick Stakes, George Main Stakes and Caulfield Stakes in a three horse field, none of which unduly tested her.

When Winx got to Moonee Valley, Hartnell was supposed to give her a race, particularly on his favoured soft ground. He did so, for about three seconds. Before we knew what was happening, she was off and away, flying across the turf to record a record-breaking eight-length victory, obliterating the previous best seven length mark set by Dulcify in 1979 and equalled by Sunline in 2000.

This year, Winx reaches the Cox Plate preparing for her fifth run this time in, the first time she has gone beyond four runs in a campaign since her three-year-old autumn. Another difference this time around is the stir she has caused along the way.

Winx stood in the gates first-up and gave the Warwick Stakes field four lengths’ start, as well as giving racing fans across the country heart palpitations. In the Chelmsford, Josh Parr and Red Excitement stole the show and almost broke our hearts with a daring front-running performance. The George Main Stakes was next, and Winx gave us all cause for concern when she started racing dour and went backwards halfway through the race.

She won them all, of course, sending us into raptures each time.

Then came the Turnbull Stakes, her first time at Flemington, to celebrate her 21st. And didn’t she do it in style, taking to the famous long straight like she was born to be there, as the likes of Makybe Diva and Black Caviar had done before her.

Now it’s Cox Plate time, and we so badly want her to deliver. Let’s have a quick look at the competitors that nominally stand in her way.

(AAP Image/Julian Smith)

Happy Clapper has been beaten five times by Winx, but has run second to her twice. The closest of those was just over a length three starts back, and he has since won the Epsom and just failed to win the Craven Plate after giving too much of a start. He ran sixth in the Cox Plate last year, three lengths off Hartnell in second, but is going better now.

Gailo Chop is a dual Group 1 winner, coming off a victory in the Caulfield Stakes, the only horse in the field apart from Winx to have recorded a Group 1 win last start. He’s fit, classy and in-form, and is a 2000m specialist. He looks the safest place bet for those having a play.

Humidor backs up from the Caulfield Cup last week, where he ran well after taking an unexpected forward position, perhaps due to the on-pace bias of the day. He got found out by Winx in the Turnbull Stakes, the first time he had met the great mare, when he paid the price for going with her between the 1000m and 600m. Back to a more suitable mile-and-a-quarter here, he’ll run well again.

Kaspersky is one of two internationals in the field, a seven-time black type winner in Europe, and so is no duffer. His fifth in the Queen Anne Stakes, a race once won by Haradasun, earlier this year was meritorious enough to suggest he won’t be disgraced here. He set a hectic tempo in the Toorak Handicap a fortnight ago, and can be forgiven for fading out of it.

Folkswood is the Godolphin representative this year for the ever-astute Charlie Appleby, who has dominated Melbourne racing with his visiting horses in the last 12 months. Folkswood won the Cranbourne Cup in dominant fashion as clear top weight first-up, and ran European Group 1 star Decorated Knight to a long neck at the highest level earlier this year. He’s a player.

Seaburge was twice placed at Group 1 level as a three-year-old last spring, including once against older horses. He had been very poor since, but finally found a semblance of form in the Toorak last start. Hardham shouldn’t be allowed in the field, and certainly wouldn’t be if there were more Group 1 horses willing to take Winx on.

Royal Symphony is this year’s three-year-old representative in the Cox Plate, and the race is always much more interesting for having them involved. Rarely do they run poorly when entered, and his last two runs have been very good despite getting too far back to challenge for victory. Let’s see if he can run a strong 2000m out at this level.

The speed will be set by Gailo Chop on the outside of Kaspersky, with Folkswood in behind them and Happy Clapper looking to slide across into the box seat from the widest barrier.

Hardham will likely find himself next, with Winx on his outside in the third pair. He should get a good look at her in the run, because he’ll be a long way behind when she goes past the winning post at the end of the race.

Humidor, Seaburge and Royal Symphony will be allowed to find their feet, and hope to run into the minor prizemoney, because they certainly won’t be passing Australia’s greatest champion.

Selections: 1. Winx 2. Folkswood 3. Gailo Chop 4. Humidor

The scene is set for yet another memorable Cox Plate. The crowd at Moonee Valley will be roaring, clapping and cheering a long way from home as Winx makes her move. So will the people in pubs and lounge rooms across the country.

It will be spine-tingling.

We know Chris Waller’s emotions will get the better of him, as well they should. He represents the racing fan in all of us, who want to cherish greatness when we see it. Now it’s on Winx to deliver, as she always has. She will again.