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Roar Rookie
Joined March 2017
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Hi Matt,
I know you wrote this article earlier in the year but hopefully you see my comment anyway despite me commenting on this article months after you wrote it.
In regards to your list, well done – a great effort, it’s never easy to rate the top 20 from 20th to 1st. In my opinion I think So You Think is rated a bit low. You have assessed him mainly on his career in Australia because as you said and I quote: “Had he been allowed to continue his career in Australia, there’s no doubt So You Think would have been able to challenge the next four horses for a podium placing. He was a superlative colt”, I think you need to assess So You Think on his whole career.
So You Think became the first ever horse (and only horse so far) to win five Group 1s in BOTH hemispheres. That is an outstanding effort. Not only was So You Think an Australian champion but he was a world champion. Also, no other horse has competed in the following races in their career:
1. G1 Melbourne Cup (3rd – 3200m)…wasn’t a natural stayer.
2. G1 Dubai World Cup (4th – 2000m)…tapeta surface didn’t suit.
3. G1 Breeders Cup on Dirt (6th – 2000m)… wasn’t a dirt horse, yet finished only 3.25 lengths from the winner. Should of ran in the Breeders Cup on turf and the winner that year was St Nicholas Abbey, who So You Think beat in Europe.
4. G1 Arc De Triomphe (4th – 2400m)….was absolutely flying home…had a bad barrier (drew the car park ) and the jockey had So You Think too far back.
The other thing to think about is So You think beat better horses in Europe then what Winx beat in Australia. So You Think ran in a very strong era of middle distance racing in Europe and performed well. Horses in that era included Cirrus De Aigles, St Nicholas Abbey, Workforce, Danedream, Snow Fairy and of course Frankel.
In my opinion So You Think should be in third. Sunline in 4th, Makybe Diva in 5th. I also think Northerly should be ahead of Lonhro. Who should be first? That’s a tough one. For me Black Caviar is first in my opinion, and Wins goes to second. Black Caviar was undefeated…25 starts for 25 wins…can’t do much more then that. Plus she did something that Wins never did….Black Caviar travelled outside Australia..away from the comforts of home conditions…and won. Winx never did that. But all in all a great list..these 20 horses are awesome and at the end of the day it comes down to opinion where these 20 horses are ranked. There is no right or wrong. Also it was good to see the mighty jumper Karasi in your list – he had a great career.
Cheers.
The 20 greatest Australian racehorses of the past 20 years
[QUOTE=Jamal] Interesting stats..not sure how to read them
Winx’s 2016 Cox Plate Rivals – What They Have Done Since
**In finishing Order of Cox Plate**
2nd: Hartnell
* 3rd – G1 Melbourne Cup (3200m)
* 2nd – G2 Apollo Stakes (1600m)
* 8th – G1 Chipping Norton Stakes (1600m)
* 2nd – G1 Ranvet Stakes (2000m)
3rd: Yankee Rose
* 14th – Group 1 VRC Oaks (2500m)
4th: Vadamos
* 4th – G1 Mackinnon Stakes (2000m)
5th: Awesome Rock
* 1st – G1 Mackinnon Stakes (2000m)
* 7th – G1 C.F Orr Stakes (1400m)
* 10th – G2 Peter Young Stakes (1800m)
* 9th – G1 Australian Cup (2000m)
6th: Happy Clapper
* 9th – G1 Mackinnon Stakes (2000m)
* 2nd – Listed Canberra National Sprint (1400m)
7th: Lucia Valentina
* No starts after Cox Plate (retired)
8th: Hauraki
* 2nd – G1 Mackinnon Stakes (2000m)
* 3rd – G1 Canterbury Stakes (1300m)
* 4th – G1 George Ryder Stskes (1500m)
9th: Black Heart Bart
* 2nd – G1 Australia Stakes (1200m)
* 1st – G1 C.F Orr Stakes (1400m)
* 1st – G1 Futurity Stakes (1400m)
10th: Happy Trails
* 10th G1 Mackinnon Stakes (2000m)
Winx is Australia's best athlete by far, but not everyone is a believer
Tie The Knot – Record in Melbourne
3rd – 1997 Listed Normon Robinson Stakes: 57kg, margin – 0.9 lengths (2000m SWP Caulfield), winner – Brave Prince (54kg)
2nd – 1997 Group 1 Victoria Derby: 55.5kg, margin – 3 lengths (2500m SW at Flemington), winner – Second Coming (55.5kg)
1st – 1998 Group 1 Underwood Stakes: 57kg, margin – 0.5 lengths (1800m WFA Caulfield)
7th – 1998 Group 2 Turnbull Stakes: 57.5kg, margin – 4 lengths (2000m SWP at Flemington), winner – Aerosmith (59kg)
3rd – 1998 Group 1 Caulfield Cup: 55.5kg, margin – 0.6 lengths (2400m hcp at Caulfield), winner – Taufan’s Melody (53.5kg)
5th – 1998 Group 1 Mackinnon Stakes: 57kg, margin – 4.2 lengths (2000m WFA at Flemington), winner – Champagne (54.5kg)
6th – 1998 Group 1 Melbourne Cup: 55.5kg, margin – 2.9 lengths (3200m hcp at Flemington0, winner – Jezabeel (51kg)
2nd – 1999 Group 1 Caulfield Stakes: 59kg, margin – 4.5 lengths (2000m WFA at Caulfield), winner – Northern Drake (58kg)
2nd – 1999 Group 1 Cox Plate: 58kg, margin – 1.5 lengths (2040m WFA at Moonee Valley), winner – Sunline (54kg)
8th – 1999 Group 1 Mackinnon Stakes: 58kg, margin – 9.6 lengths (2000m WFA at Flemington), winner – Rogan Josh (58kg)
14th – 1999 Group 1 Melbourne Cup: 58kg, margin – 10.3 lengths (3200m hcp at Flemington), winner – Rogan Josh (50kg)
3rd – 2000 Group 1 Caulfield Stakes: 58kg, margin – 1.9 lengths (2000m WFA at Caulfield), winner – Sky Heights (58kg)
9th – 2000 Group 1 Cox Plate: 58kg, margin – 17.8 lengths (2040m WFA at Moonee Valley), winner – Sunline (55.5kg)
14th – 2001 Group 1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes: 59kg, margin – 4 lengths (1400m hcp at Caulfield), winner – Mr Murphy (54.5kg)
Tracks:
Caulfield: 6 starts: 1-1-3
Moonee Valley: 2 starts: 0-1-0
Flemington: 6 starts: 0-1-0
Total Starts in Melbourne: 14 starts: 1-3-3
The 20 greatest Australian racehorses of the past 20 years