Winx wns 3rd Cox Plate
Oct 28, 2017 9:46:05 GMT -5
Post by cait on Oct 28, 2017 9:46:05 GMT -5
She is absolutely the best horse running.
Winx wins historic third Cox Plate
Breddan Cormick
The Australian
I, I will be king
And you, you will be queen
Though nothing, will drive them away
We can beat them, just for one day
We can be heroes, just for one day
— David Bowie (Heroes)
Kingston Town was the hero on the last Saturday in October at Moonee Valley in 1980, 1981 and 1982. Now “The King’ has taken a queen.
Winx completed a Cox Plate hat-trick, in what proved an easy race to watch for her connections and fans until the last 200m. It wasn’t a vintage field and she looked like she would touch up her rivals with the same ease as she did in her first two Cox Plates.
But there was a scare to come.
Gailo Chop led Folkswood out of the straight and Winx settled fifth. Winx mounted her challenge at the 600m, cruising to the leaders.
In front turning, Humidor launched a challenge and looked as if he would spoil the party. Then a champion dug deep.
“He got to my flank. I wanted to make it a test because I was on the best horse and that is exactly what I did,” Bowman said.
“Humidor was a worthy opponent last start … this horse overcomes everything and he had to come and get past her and no horse has in 23 starts. He had the job against him.
“I made quite a long run and I could sense her run was peaking. I was interested to see if anything was coming and I could see how close he was but she could feel him too and she extended.
“I’ll look upon this race for the rest of my life with a great deal of pride and excitement.”
Winx ($1.18) held on to defeat Humidor ($31) by a long neck with 4.25 lengths to Folkswood ($26) third, much to the relief of 34,000 racegoers who bought every last item of Winx merchandise.
Miniature flags in the colours of her race silks waved feverishly as jockey Hugh Bowman brought the wonder mare back to the winner’s stall.
She has now accrued 22 wins in succession, of which 15 have been at Group I level. Her career prizemoney now exceeds $15.5 million.
Winx broke her course record, stopping the clock at 2:02.94, four one-hundreths of a second faster than the mark set in 2015.
Trainer Chris Waller said it is only the last 400m where the intensity builds and you expect Winx to show her grit.
“She did that today. Obviously she was in for the fight, it wasn’t an easy victory but you don’t come to these races expecting to win, believe it or not,” Waller said.
“She had to be good to fight off Humidor and other runners in the race. It was a fair dinkum Cox Plate. Well done to connections of the second horse and the rest of the runners — they got beaten by a good horse.”
Waller said being associated with a horse like Winx, “it’s the wildest dream.”
“I’m just blessed to be a part of it. I’m very proud of my team, just as much as Winx,” he said.
“The tireless hours that go into every day, not just the morning of the Cox Plate, not just the last week but the last four months has been just intense getting her here in the best possible condition for the fans.”
Winx wins historic third Cox Plate
Breddan Cormick
The Australian
I, I will be king
And you, you will be queen
Though nothing, will drive them away
We can beat them, just for one day
We can be heroes, just for one day
— David Bowie (Heroes)
Kingston Town was the hero on the last Saturday in October at Moonee Valley in 1980, 1981 and 1982. Now “The King’ has taken a queen.
Winx completed a Cox Plate hat-trick, in what proved an easy race to watch for her connections and fans until the last 200m. It wasn’t a vintage field and she looked like she would touch up her rivals with the same ease as she did in her first two Cox Plates.
But there was a scare to come.
Gailo Chop led Folkswood out of the straight and Winx settled fifth. Winx mounted her challenge at the 600m, cruising to the leaders.
In front turning, Humidor launched a challenge and looked as if he would spoil the party. Then a champion dug deep.
“He got to my flank. I wanted to make it a test because I was on the best horse and that is exactly what I did,” Bowman said.
“Humidor was a worthy opponent last start … this horse overcomes everything and he had to come and get past her and no horse has in 23 starts. He had the job against him.
“I made quite a long run and I could sense her run was peaking. I was interested to see if anything was coming and I could see how close he was but she could feel him too and she extended.
“I’ll look upon this race for the rest of my life with a great deal of pride and excitement.”
Winx ($1.18) held on to defeat Humidor ($31) by a long neck with 4.25 lengths to Folkswood ($26) third, much to the relief of 34,000 racegoers who bought every last item of Winx merchandise.
Miniature flags in the colours of her race silks waved feverishly as jockey Hugh Bowman brought the wonder mare back to the winner’s stall.
She has now accrued 22 wins in succession, of which 15 have been at Group I level. Her career prizemoney now exceeds $15.5 million.
Winx broke her course record, stopping the clock at 2:02.94, four one-hundreths of a second faster than the mark set in 2015.
Trainer Chris Waller said it is only the last 400m where the intensity builds and you expect Winx to show her grit.
“She did that today. Obviously she was in for the fight, it wasn’t an easy victory but you don’t come to these races expecting to win, believe it or not,” Waller said.
“She had to be good to fight off Humidor and other runners in the race. It was a fair dinkum Cox Plate. Well done to connections of the second horse and the rest of the runners — they got beaten by a good horse.”
Waller said being associated with a horse like Winx, “it’s the wildest dream.”
“I’m just blessed to be a part of it. I’m very proud of my team, just as much as Winx,” he said.
“The tireless hours that go into every day, not just the morning of the Cox Plate, not just the last week but the last four months has been just intense getting her here in the best possible condition for the fans.”