Will Winx Win the Cox Plate 2016?

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?

Horse Racing Tip Winx's trainer Chris Waller and jockey Hugh Bowman are the only ones with a previous Cox Plate win in the field this year

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).