This story of Winx’s cox plate win will be told and retold. She is not just an Australian legend but also a world thoroughbred racing legend. The only horse to win the Cox Plate four times.

 

Hugh Bowman set pace with Saeed Bin Suroor trained Benbatl. He came fresh from the UK and was ready to take on the world. But the great mare broke him down in the final 600m, when Bowman moved her out. The crowd went mad as Winx made her move towards the finish line.

At around the cambered bend  he quickened the pace and cruised through to victory.

 

Benbatl was second and Humidor followed in with a close third.

 

Since Benbatl’s win in the Dubai Turf on World Cup night Saeed Bin Suroor has targeted Benbatl towards a Cox Plate victory. However he was denied his day in the Australian Sun but national hero, Winx.

 

The Dubawi colt landed the Gr. 1 Grosser Dallmayr Preis and the Gr.1 Caulfield Stakes before heading to Mooney Valley to repeat his magic. The top conditioner has suggested that one of the reasons which the Benbatl couldn’t succeed was that the track was too firm.

 

Bowman only stopped pushing Winx after they had crossed the wire. The pair stayed to soak in the atmosphere. They had just won Australia's premier weight-for-age race for a record fourth time.

 

"I'm lost for words. Everybody watching her gets so much pleasure from her, out of her superb ability. The fact she's been able to win so many times consecutively just speaks volumes of the management of her. I'm just so proud to be a part of this story,” said Bowman

Godolphin’s other entry, the French Avilius landed a fourth losing by three lengths.

 

Bin Suroor said of Winx: "She's a superstar, she's the best of the best. I am very happy for the owner, trainer, and jockey. It's a great race. We took our chance, but he got beat by a better filly. He ran well—he didn't suit the ground—but she is something special."

 

1 Winx (T: Chris Waller J: Hugh Bowman),

2 Benbatl (T: Saeed Bin Suroor J: Oisin Murphy)

3 Humidor (T: Darren Weir J: Damian Lane )

4 Avilius (T: James Cummings J: Glyn Schofield)

5 Rostropovich (T: Aidan O'Brien J: Ryan Moore)

6 D'argento (T: Chris Waller J: Kerrin McEvoy)

7 Savvy Coup (T: Michael Pitman J: Chris Johnson )

FF Kings Will Dream (T: Darren Weir J: John Allen)

 

Watch It Again: 2018 Cox Plate Video 

 

Race course: Mooney Valley (Australia), When: 27 October 2018, Distance:2,040 metres, Surface:Turf, Track:Left-handed, Qualification:Horses three years old and older,Weight:Weight for age, Purse:A$5,000,000 (2018), Bonuses:Winner ballot exemption from the Melbourne Cup

 

Credit: Ritesh Jamkhedkar ritesh.jamkhedkar@secretariatsworld.com