The most anticipated race in Australian history: Winx goes for fourth Cox Plate

Ladbrokes Cox Plate | 1m2f | Group 1 | 3yo+ | ATR

7am Saturday, Moonee Valley

It is finally here. From the moment Winx’s connections decided to forego a trip to Royal Ascot, every morning gallop, every swim, every meal and every race has been about peaking the wondermare for an unprecedented fourth Ladbrokes Cox Plate victory.

Winx’s place in racing history is already assured with 28 consecutive wins and 21 Group 1s. First or second will take her past the $20 million (£11m/€12.4m) barrier. But to win a fourth Cox Plate might just be the greatest achievement of the lot. It is Australia’s premier weight-for-age race, run around a tight and uniquely cambered track, and it has never been done before.

Phar Lap, Flight, Tobin Bronze, Sunline, Northerly, Fields Of Omagh and So You Think won the great race twice. Kingston Town and Winx herself three times. To win four would be such an achievement in itself that the fact it would also be her tenth consecutive Group 1 has hardly been mentioned this week. A tenth top-level victory in a row would elevate her from the company she currently keeps with Zenyatta, Frankel and Hurricane Fly on nine, so it is not a surprise it is being described locally as the most anticipated race in Australian history.

So heavily has everything revolved around a fourth Cox Plate that her trainer Chris Waller described this month's last-gasp win in the Turnbull as her final piece of work, and on her chance of becoming an immortal he said: “Realistically only two things can beat her, bad luck or a champion.

“The next champions could be waiting in the wings ready to pounce on her, provided there aren't too many traffic problems, because like anything in sport you need the bounce of the ball to go your way to some degree. Fortunately her class gets her out of a lot of situations, but you can’t take anything for granted.”

Does Waller see Saeed Bin Suroor’s Benbatl, now a three-time Group 1 winner in three different countries and her chief market rival, as a potential champion? “He’s a good horse," he said. "I wouldn’t say he’s the best horse from the other side of the world, but he certainly comes with good credentials.

“It’s good to see him in good form here in Australia and he’s a good benchmark horse, the type you have to be at your best to beat, but he has to go to another level to beat her.”

Does Benbatl have another level? Pat Cosgrave, who rode him to victory in the Ladbrokes Stakes but is replaced in the Cox Plate by Oisin Murphy, spent most of last week arguing with Australian radio and television presenters that he would get a lot closer than they think.

Bin Suroor said: “I have a lot of respect for the mare, she is the best in Australian history, but my horse is really well, he worked good on Monday and he’s in great form. While we greatly respect Winx, we're happy to compete against her. That's horseracing. We're constantly trying to test our horses.”

It is far from a one-horse (or even two) race, however. Humidor got within half a length of Winx in last year's Cox Plate, Godolphin’s second string Avilius is unbeaten since joining James Cummings from Andre Fabre, and Ryan Moore is in town for the ride on Aidan O’Brien’s Melbourne Cup talking horse Rostropovich.

TJ Comerford, Aidan O’Brien’s travelling head lad, said: “If he could run into a place that'd be a big run, especially going into a Melbourne Cup as that's his main target. I wouldn't be disappointed if he beat Winx, but I'd probably be a bit surprised. I'd say she just has to go down to the start, turn around and come back.”

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