Adelaide triumphs in Cox Plate
Oct 25, 2014 11:54:41 GMT -5
Post by Evelyn on Oct 25, 2014 11:54:41 GMT -5
Cox Plate 2014: Brilliant Adelaide triumphs for Irishman Aidan O'Brien
Michael Lynch
The Age
Adelaide wins Cox Plate
Irish-trained Adelaide breaks Europe's Cox Plate duck to win $3 million prize, ahead of Fawkner in second and Silent Achiever in third place.
Irish maestro Aidan O'Brien became the first European raider to win the Cox Plate when his colt Adelaide flashed home down the outside under English champion jockey Ryan Moore to head off Fawkner.
Kiwi mare Silent Achiever ran on into third in another fascinating renewal of Australasia's weight-for-age championship.
Tasmanian champion The Cleaner, the cult horse of the country, made a brave bid to make most of the running and was still in the firing line as heads turned for home. But he had been forced to expend too much energy from the widest barrier, 14, before he could cross to lead and when the pressure was applied at its fiercest, the fairytale galloper wilted.
Not so the blue-blood Adelaide ($8), from the Tipperary stables of Aidan O'Brien, who landed a long-term plan to take out the $3 million, 2040-metre race. The colt, a three-year-old by northern hemisphere time, is treated as a four-year-old in Australia and therefore had to carry 6.5 kilograms more than the southern three-year-olds. But he made light of the disadvantage and did it the hard way, coming widest of all around the turn, circling the field and charging to the line.
O'Brien, 45, has proven himself a master trainer after elite-level wins in the biggest races in England, Ireland, France and the US, but this was his first at group 1 in Australia.
Adelaide, a son of all-conquering sire Galileo, has been a globetrotter despite his age, having won in the US before running second at Longchamp in Paris at his final outing before coming to Australia.
Moore said he knew the race could be won by a horse coming wide having seen footage of Makybe Diva do so.
"He's a very good horse," Moore said. "I was a long way back and I thought down the back we had to be a bit closer. I was giving away a good bit of ground. I got on the back of Fawkner and he pulled me into the race.
"This is usually a race where the best horse wins, and sometimes the best horse has to do it a bit tough."
Nick Williams, from the Fawkner camp said: "It wasn't a case of bad luck, I was just beaten by a better horse on the day. We will go home and decide about a Melbourne Cup."
Adelaide will be moved to Chris Waller's stable in Sydney for an autumn campaign here.
Michael Lynch
The Age
Adelaide wins Cox Plate
Irish-trained Adelaide breaks Europe's Cox Plate duck to win $3 million prize, ahead of Fawkner in second and Silent Achiever in third place.
Irish maestro Aidan O'Brien became the first European raider to win the Cox Plate when his colt Adelaide flashed home down the outside under English champion jockey Ryan Moore to head off Fawkner.
Kiwi mare Silent Achiever ran on into third in another fascinating renewal of Australasia's weight-for-age championship.
Tasmanian champion The Cleaner, the cult horse of the country, made a brave bid to make most of the running and was still in the firing line as heads turned for home. But he had been forced to expend too much energy from the widest barrier, 14, before he could cross to lead and when the pressure was applied at its fiercest, the fairytale galloper wilted.
Not so the blue-blood Adelaide ($8), from the Tipperary stables of Aidan O'Brien, who landed a long-term plan to take out the $3 million, 2040-metre race. The colt, a three-year-old by northern hemisphere time, is treated as a four-year-old in Australia and therefore had to carry 6.5 kilograms more than the southern three-year-olds. But he made light of the disadvantage and did it the hard way, coming widest of all around the turn, circling the field and charging to the line.
O'Brien, 45, has proven himself a master trainer after elite-level wins in the biggest races in England, Ireland, France and the US, but this was his first at group 1 in Australia.
Adelaide, a son of all-conquering sire Galileo, has been a globetrotter despite his age, having won in the US before running second at Longchamp in Paris at his final outing before coming to Australia.
Moore said he knew the race could be won by a horse coming wide having seen footage of Makybe Diva do so.
"He's a very good horse," Moore said. "I was a long way back and I thought down the back we had to be a bit closer. I was giving away a good bit of ground. I got on the back of Fawkner and he pulled me into the race.
"This is usually a race where the best horse wins, and sometimes the best horse has to do it a bit tough."
Nick Williams, from the Fawkner camp said: "It wasn't a case of bad luck, I was just beaten by a better horse on the day. We will go home and decide about a Melbourne Cup."
Adelaide will be moved to Chris Waller's stable in Sydney for an autumn campaign here.
