Cover image courtesy of Bronwen Healy
G1 Cox Plate - Australia's Championship
It was a 100 years ago that the imported entire Violoncello (GB) backed up his 1921 G1 Caulfield Cup victory with G1 Cox Plate success - writing his name into the history books as the first winner of a race that each year captures the imagination of the racing public.
For some time, however, it did play second fiddle, the day known as Moonee Valley Cup Day right up until the mid 1970s centered on that staying feature but as the best horses in the land were gravitating to the G1 Cox Plate, it took centre stage with the great administrator Bill Stutt telling Moonee Valley staff that ‘the Cox Plate is as close as racing gets to the Olympics’.
And what an honour roll it boasts, the 2040-metre event contested on a uniquely shaped track won by most of the stars of the Australasian turf. In doing so, providing some of the greatest moments in racing, such as Winx’s (Street Cry {Ire}) four, Kingston Town’s (Bletchingly) three including the day Bill Collins so famously called ‘Kingston Town can’t win,’ two champs winning consecutive runners in a four-year period - Sunline (NZ) (Desert Sun {GB}) and Northerly (Serheed {USA}), Super Impose (NZ) (Imposing) circling the field in that oh so dramatic running in 1992 - the list goes on and on.
Gallery: Some of the G1 Cox Plate's elite winners
The 2022 G1 Cox Plate winner, the race's 102nd as it was divided in 1946, will have to be, as they all are, a rather special horse. There is depth to this field - the 12 runners between them winning at the elite level on 20 occasions, nine of those races being weight-for-age contests.
All but two of the runners are millionaires; six multi. Between them they have amassed in excess of $36.2 million.
The winner will be lauded as one of the best and there are stud careers beckoning as well - seven of this year's runners being entires. In recent times the G1 Cox Plate has been won by the likes of Savabeel, So You Think (NZ), Ocean Park (NZ) and Shamus Award who have all enjoyed successful careers as stallions.
Only twice has a G1 Cox Plate winner gone on to sire a G1 Cox Plate winner; Savabeel vying for that honour on Saturday, represented by Mo'unga (NZ). The only others to achieve this feat are Heroic, the 1926 winner who sired the 1938 winner Ajax, and Rubiton, who was successful in 1987 and his son Fields Of Omagh saluted in 2003 and 2006.
Anamoe (Street Boss {USA}) is the one to beat on the back of not only his excellent lead-up form but his gutsy and somewhat unlucky second last year; but it won't be an easy race for him with big challengers likely to come from fellow multiple Group 1 winners Zaaki (GB) (Leroidesanimaux {Brz}), Alligator Blood (All Too Hard) and I'm Thunderstruck (NZ) (Shocking).
G1 Spring Champion S. - Sydney's promising 3-year-olds
Won last year by this year's G1 Cox Plate contender Profondo (Deep Impact {Jpn}), the G1 Spring Champion S. changes date this year, previously run earlier in the month.
A race boasting a strong honour roll, it has been won by the likes of Kingston Town, Sir Dapper (Vain), Beau Zam (NZ) (Zamazaan {Fr}), Stylish Century, Tie The Knot (Nassipour {USA}) and Dundeel (NZ).
A field of 12 face the starter in this year's edition - seven colts, three geldings and two fillies. And an even field it is with any one of five runners a chance to start favourite come raceday.
Elliptical, whose sire Dundeel won this race in 2012, went so close to the prize in the G1 Caulfield Guineas which looks great form for this. The only other Melbourne formline being that of the filly Renaissance Woman (NZ) (Reliable Man {GB}) who swamped her rivals in the G3 Ethereal S. last weekend.
Elliptical, the current favourite for the G1 Spring Champion S. at Randwick | Image courtesy of Racing Photos
The G3 Gloaming S. provides six of the runners including the trifecta - Sharp 'N' Smart (NZ) (Redwood {GB}) showing good fight in defeating Matcha Latte (Maurice {Jpn}) who was slowly away and Williamsburg (Snitzel) who has drawn a more favourable gate this time.
Promitto (Divine Prophet) was much improved when third against the older horses in the G3 Craven Plate, while She's Extreme (Extreme Choice) brings Group 1 winner, Zougotcha’s (Zoustar) form to the males.
The G3 Red Anchor and the G2 Vase - the Melbourne 3-year-olds
Both the sprinting and middle-distance staying types of 3-year-olds are given their chance to shine on Cox Plate Day - the G3 Red Anchor S. contested over 1200 metres and the G2 Moonee Valley Vase over 2040 metres.
First run in 1985 to commemorate one of the Cox Plate's most brilliant 3-year-old winners, the G3 Red Anchor S. has attracted a field of 13, though three of those are dual acceptors. Sweet Ride (Deep Field) was one of those to catch the eye at trackwork on Tuesday and his consistent form is hard to fault.
Shalailed (Shalaa {Ire}) was very good in the G3 Blue Sapphire S. second-up whilst Great Barrier Reef (I Am Invincible) brings recent The Everest winner Giga Kick (Scissor Kick) form into the equation. Sejardan (Sebring) is a proven class performer, while the likes of Crosswinds (Written Tycoon) and Kings Consort (Ilovethiscity) have shown good promise.
One of the G1 VRC Derby lead-ups, the G2 Moonee Valley Vase sees Berkeley Square (Territories {Ire}) step up in trip off a strong G1 Caulfield Guineas fourth-place finish, a race in which Foujita San (Maurice {Jpn}) was also good to the line and neither Skyphios (Fiorente {Ire}) or Sir Bailey (Impending) were far away - noting that the latter's dam Jameka (Myboycharlie {Ire}) won this race in 2015.
Virtuous Circle (NZ) (Almanzor {Fr}) comes into this off a good run in the G2 Stutt S. and the lightly raced Pericles (Street Boss {USA}) seeks to become his wonderful dam Accessories' (GB) (Singspiel {Ire}) fifth stakes winner. Berardino (Real Impact {Jpn}) is still a maiden but a promising one and taking on the boys is the race's sole filly Jenny Jerome (Churchill {Ire}) who finished off nicely in the G1 Thousand Guineas.
G2 Fillies Classic and the Listed Crockett S. - the Fillies
There is exciting fillies' action at Moonee Valley on Saturday with the running of the Listed Crockett S. over 1200 metres - the fourth race on the card - and the G2 Fillies Classic over 1600 metres - the fifth race.
There looks to be a bit of pace in the Listed Crockett S. with Willinga Beast (Snitzel), Pantonario (Not A Single Doubt), Over Shady (Overshare), Birdies Galore (Spieth {NZ}), Everglade (Street Boss {USA}), Bay Thirteen (Deep Field), Greece (I Am Invincible), Startide (Star Turn), Tropicconi (Nicconi) and Pretty Tavi (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}) all capable of going forward.
Willinga Beast is deserving of a win having been close up in recent Group level assignments in Sydney - as is Wee Nessy (Snitzel) who did not have much luck when contesting the G3 Thoroughbred Club S. last time out. Several others are stepping up from maiden wins, impressive ones at that.
The milers look to be a nice bunch as well, two of which are fighting out favouritism - Do It La (Shalaa {Ire}) who finished on the heels of the placegetters in the G2 Edward Manifold S. and Hell Hath No Fury (Hellbent) who was right in the thick of things in the Listed Jim Moloney S.
Gallery: The current favourites for the G2 Fillies Classic and the Listed Crockett S. at Moonee Valley
The regally bred Bonheur (I Am Invincible), who is out of the Group 1 mare Bonaria (Redoute's Choice) is coming along nicely, while She's Pretty Rich (Written Tycoon) is capable of an improved showing having run into trouble at both of her last two starts.
There is a nice bit of Cox Plate Day trivia to the Fillies Classic - in 2007 it was won by Anamato (Redoute's Choice), dam of the Cox Plate favourite Anamoe. She is one of this race's nine winners to have gone on to produce stakes winners and one of three to be represented by Group 1 winners - Reann's dam Ribe (Danehill {USA}) and Pinot's (Pierro) dam Dizelle (Zabeel {NZ}) the others.
Meanwhile 10 Listed Crockett S. winners have been stakes-winning producers including Roadsong (Haulpak) - dam of the G1 Blue Diamond S. winner Road To Success (Dolphin Street {Fr}), Danelagh (Danehill {USA}) - dam of the Hong Kong superstar Vengeance Of Rain (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}) and the G1 ATC Oaks winner Dizelle and Golden Delicious (Made Of Gold {USA}) whose son Star Turn is the sire of Saturday's runner Startide.
G3 Tesio S. - the mares
Let me indulge in a little personal history regarding this race, the traditional end to Cox Plate Day. It was first run in 1990 as a Listed sponsored race but in 1994, nobody had come forward to put their name to it. It was then that the MVRC Racing Manager Fred Fox called me into his office and asked if, as a breeding enthusiast, I had any ideas for a worthy name for the race which had just earned an upgrade in status to Group 3 level.
‘Name it after Federico Tesio!’ I enthused and the wheels were in motion with Fox - always a clever promoter of all things racing - organising a beautiful portrait of Ribot (GB) as the trophy.
Six years later Bob Skelton won the race with his talented mare Oregon Seal (NZ) (Oregon {USA}) and as he received that trophy, he noted that, "I set this mare for this race as I really wanted to win a race named after one of my heroes!"
Federico Tesio, whom the Tesio S. is named after, in 1921 | Image courtesy of Wikipedia
The Tesio has been won by not only very good race mares, but also by successful broodmares - Oregon Seal - dam of three stakes winners - one of its 11 winners to go onto stakes-producing careers with others including the G1 Arrowfield Stud S. winner Shower Of Rose's (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}) regally bred dam Marquise (NZ), who was by Gold And Ivory (USA) out of Eight Carat (GB) (Pieces Of Eight {Ire}) and Valkyrie Diva (Jade Robbery {USA}) - Makybe Diva's (GB) (Desert King {Ire}) half-sister who produced two stakes winners.
For this year's edition, last start G3 Ladies Day Vase winner Sirileo Miss (Pride Of Dubai) looks a big chance to make it two wins in a row whilst the up-and-comer Roots (Press Statement) caught the eye at trackwork on Tuesday morning.
Agreeable (Sebring) showed good heart winning the Listed Murray Bridge Cup and My Whisper (Frankel {GB}) - already proven at Group 3 level can improve having found early trouble second up in the G2 Golden Pendant.
G2 Moonee Valley Gold Cup - G1 Melbourne Cup bound?
An historic race which predates the G1 Cox Plate by four decades, the G2 Moonee Valley Cup is one of the stepping stones to the G1 Melbourne Cup; though it is a difficult double to accomplish.
In recent years Prince Of Penzance (NZ) (Pentire {GB}) and Americain (USA) have won both races but in different years - the former successful in 2013, winning at Flemington a year later off a second in this race - the latter winning this the year after his G1 Melbourne Cup success.
It was the flashy chestnut - the regally bred Kingston Rule (USA) - a son of Secretariat (USA) out of Rose Of Kingston (Claude {Ity}) - who last achieved this feat, winning the G1 Melbourne Cup in a time of 3:16.3, a record which stands to this day.
Francesco Guardi (Ire), the current favourite for the G2 Moonee Valley Gold Cup | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
The two main form references to this year's running are the G2 Herbert Power S. and the G3 Bart Cummings S., the latter's winner Lunar Flare (Fiorente {Ire}) attempting to become the first horse since Precedence (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}) to win this race twice and the first since Valcurl (Valiant Chief) in the 1940s to take out consecutive runnings.
Saturday's favourite Francesco Guardi (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) was second in the G3 Bart Cummings, unlucky having been held up at a vital stage.
Grand Promenade (GB) (Champs Elysees {GB}) is another to have run into trouble last time out, not far away in the Herbert Power in which Desert Icon (Fr) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) was a close-up third with Persan (Pierro) on his heels.