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Winx in the Cox Plate: Spring Carnival, racing live updates, blog

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27th October, 2018
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Winx’s mission to claim a record fourth consecutive Cox Plate will play out at Moonee Valley Racecourse in Australia’s premier weight for age contest. Join The Roar for live updates and commentary from 5pm (AEDT).

Australian equine history is at stake as Winx searches for a fourth Cox Plate and an exclamation mark on what has already been an astonishing career. There is $5 million at stake for the eight runners and the Mooney Valley track will host one of the most traditional and romantic races on the Australian racing calender.

2040 metres is the famous distance and the short straight will see much of the work done from the thousand metre point, with all the jockeys knowing that positioning off the final turn is crucial to success in this race.

Winx does look the unbackable favourite and should claim her fourth plate, however, stranger things have happened and there is some unquestioned talent up against her in this race. Benbatl showed plenty in its first run in Australia in the Caulfield Stakes and Humidor has been a threat to the champion in the past.

Kings Will Dream and D’argento are not without a chance and Aidan O’Brien’s entry Rostropovich has the speed to take up the running. Whether he is good enough to hang on with Ryan Moore steering is questionable and some of the other less fancied runners may make it difficult up front if they fear his quality.

It does appear a race in two, with Winx likely to run down Benbatl in the final 300 and gap the field for another historical win.

However, this is racing and despite most days being perfect for Winx to this point, anything could happen.

Prediction
Of course she will do it. Winx has far too much class for this field, with only Benbatl posing a remote threat. The Godolphin runner will not even recognise the flash that passes it in the home straight.

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Chris Waller will have the champion in perfect condition and when that is the case, it is Winx first and daylight second. Kings Will Dream could run a sneaky race in my view yet still be a number of lengths off the top two.

1. Winx
2. Benbatl
3. Kings Will Dream

Race information

Where: Mooney Valley Racecourse, Melbourne
When: Saturday 27th October 2018, 5.00pm (AEDST)
TV: Seven Network

Full Field
1 Benbatl
2 Humidor
3 Kings Will Dream
4 Arvilius
5 D’argento
6 Winx
7 Rastropovich
8 Savvy Coup

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