All the money this Cox Plate Day is on glamour mare Winx to win the meeting’s $3 million weight-for-age feature for the second year on the trot, but will the $2 favourite salute for the punters?
Winx is out to be the 13th multiple Cox Plate winner in history this weekend at Moonee Valley Racecourse. Photo: Steve Hart.
The Chris Waller-trained daughter of Street Cry has won her past 12 starts on the trot including eight in Group 1 company building up a record to rival many of Australia’s best mares.
On Saturday the five-year-old returns to Moonee Valley Racecourse for the first time in 12 months to defend her title in the Group 1 W.S. Cox Plate (2040m).
Last spring she won the classic by nearly five lengths and on Saturday she faces just nine rivals looking to go back-to-back for the first time since So You Think (2009-10).
She is all the rage in the Cox Plate betting markets at Ladbrokes.com.au paying $2 for the win after drawing barrier three for her and last year’s winning hoop Hugh Bowman to jump from.
Winx won the Group 1 Ladbrokes Caulfield Stakes (2000m) over the Cox Plate distance last time out as the $1.20 favourite so the argument is that she’s actually good value this weekend based on her recent starting prices.
Winx is Australia’s best racehorse, proven at weight-for-age and the Valley.
She has dominated in all races over the past year including that historic Group 1 Doncaster Mile (1600m) win under 56.5kg back in April.
Her status is that of a champion and she has defeated most of the runners in the Cox Plate field before including the danger, imported six-year-old Hartnell ($3.50) three times previously.
He is back to his best however and out to atone for those losses making for a scintillating showdown on Saturday.
So will Winx make it 4-0 over the back-in-form Godolphin galloper Hartnell?
2016 Cox Plate Horse Form #8 Winx
Barrier: 3
Weight: 57kg
Jockey: Hugh Bowman
Trainer: Chris Waller
Owner/s: Magic Bloodstock Racing, Mr R G Treweeke, Mrs D N Kepitis
Age: 5YO
Gender: Mare
Breeding: by Street Cry (IRE) from Vegas Showgirl (NZ)
Career: 22-16-3-0
Win: 73%
Place: 86%
Last 6: 11×111
Prize Money: $7,498,175
Track: 1-1-0-0
Distance: 3-2-0-0
Current 2016 Cox Plate Odds: $2
Why Winx Will Win the 2016 Cox Plate
- She is drawn a treat in barrier three, a barrier that has produced recent Cox Plate winners Shamus Award (2013), Northerly (2001) and The Phantom Chance (1993)
- She is the reigning Australian Racehorse of the Year
- She has won her past 12 starts on the trot and three of the past six Cox Plate winners came off a last-start win
- The Caulfield Stakes has produced 13 of the past 40 Cox Plate winners making it the most successful lead-up in the race since 1976
- Caulfield Stakes winners have a 34.61% strike rate in the Cox Plate in that time
- She is an eight-time Group 1 winner and defending Cox Plate champion
- She is proven at weight-for-age
- She has winning form at the notorious Moonee Valley track
- She has beaten Hartnell three times before including in last year’s Cox Plate when he ran fifth
- Hugh Bowman continues his association with the mighty mare
- She boasts the highest Win (73%) and Place (86%) rates of the field
- She has won close to $7.5 million in prize money
- She has been set specifically for the Cox Plate title defence
- Chris Waller and Hugh Bowman are the only trainer and jockey in the race this year with a previous Cox Plate win on the record
Why Winx Can be Beaten in the Cox Plate Result
- She has never faced #3 Hartnell ($3.50) at his best and his impressive Turnbull Stakes win suggests he is firing on all cylinders
- No five-year-old has won the Cox Plate since Northerly (2001)
- The international #6 Vadamos ($14) is yet to race down under and his Group 1 form in Europe could stack-up at the big price
- Favourites only have a fair record in the race with So You Think ($1.50 in 2010) and Winx ($4.60 in 2015) the last to salute
- Seven of the past 13 Cox Plate winners jumped at double-figures
Get on the Winx bandwagon at the right price now and back the champion mare to continue her historic run of form at the hottest price at Ladbrokes.com.au – home of Enhanced Odds on the Cox Plate 2016 (T&Cs apply).
