Two mares in the past decade have come up trumps with a Cox Plate trophy and this Saturday the sole female galloper taking on the colts, geldings and stallions in the weight-for-age classic is the Chris Waller-trained Winx.
Winx is the sole mare but second favourite in Saturday’s 2015 Cox Plate field and markets for her Melbourne debut. Photo: Steve Hart.
Waller is Sydney’s best but from five Cox Plate runners in the past he is yet to finish first three.
He has a trio in the $3 million Group 1 W.S. Cox Plate (2040m) at Moonee Valley Racecourse this weekend, two of which are at single figures to win through Ladbrokes.com.au where you can lock in Best Tote or SP + 20% on the entire Valley card!
The best-fancied of Waller’s Cox Plate contingent and the second best in the betting markets overall behind Irish raider Highland Reel ($5.50) for last year’s winning trainer (Adian O’Brien) and jockey (Ryan Moore) is Winx.
A four-year-old daughter of Street Cry she has won her past four starts including two Group 1s and was last seen taking out the Group 1 Epsom Handicap (1600m) on October 3 at Randwick.
So will Winx handle Moonee Valley in her Melbourne debut and become the first Cox Plate winning mare since Pinker Pinker (2011)?
Cox Plate Horse Form: #14 Winx
Barrier: 1
Weight: 55.5kg
Jockey: Hugh Bowman
Trainer: Chris Waller
Owners: Magic Bloodstock Racing, Mr R G Treweeke, Mrs D N Kepitis
Age: 4YO
Gender: Mare
Breeding: by Street Cry (IRE) from Vegas Showgirl (NZ)
Career: 14-8-3-0
Win: 57%
Place: 79%
Last 6: 211×11
Prize Money: $1,779,925
Track: 0-0-0-0
Distance: 1-0-0-0
Current 2015 Cox Plate Odds: $6
Why Winx is a Winning Cox Plate 2015 Hope
- Gets in well weight-wise under WFA conditions carrying 55.5kg as a dual Group 1 winner
- Has won her four most recent runs including two Group 1 victories (QLD Oaks and Epsom)
- Her Epsom Handicap winning hoop Bowman stays on and knows the mare well having also ridden her to victory in the Queensland Oaks in the winter
- Is the right age to win with four of the past five Cox Plate winners saluting as 4YOs
- Two of the past three Cox Plate winners jumped at single-figures without being the favourite with Adelaide (7/1 in 2014) and Ocean Park (5/1 in 2012)
- Boasts a top Win (57%) and Place (79%) rate
- Has winning form up to 2200m so third-up the 2000m looks ideal
- Unbeaten this time in
- Is the market mover
Why Winx Won’t be the 2015 Cox Plate Winner
- Barrier 1 isn’t the best gate for this mare who will need luck to become the first Cox Plate winner to jump from the inside since Almaarad (1989)
- Bowman has had five Cox Plate rides (since 1983) but without a top three run
- Just one Cox Plate winner since 1998 had their final lead-up in the Epsom with Pinker Pinker (2nd in 2011)
- Only two mares have won in 10 years with Makybe Diva (2005) and Pinker Pinker (2011)
- Waller is yet to trainer a Cox Plate winner
- Is yet to race at Moonee Valley or the Melbourne way of going
Think Winx is the one to watch and back in the Cox Plate? Head to Ladbrokes.com.au now and back her at Best Tote or SP + 20%, an offer running on every Moonee Valley race this Saturday in Melbourne!
