Bowman Calculates Future Cox Plate Contender

Lucy Henderson July 5, 2017

Bowman Calculates Future Cox Plate Contender

The world’s highest-ranked hoop Hugh Bowman gave Chris Waller’s Canterbury maiden winner on Wednesday a big wrap suggesting Calculated could be bound for future Cox Plate glory.

Hugh Bowman

Jockey Hugh Bowman was full of post-win praise for a possible future Cox Plate horse Calculated at Canterbury on Wednesday. Photo: Sarah Ebbett.

Bowman has won the past two editions of Australasia’s weight-for-age championship aboard champion mare Winx.

This season he’ll be back on the Hall of Famer as Winx looks to emulate Kingston Town and win the $3 million Group 1 Ladbrokes Cox Plate (2040m) at Moonee Valley in October for the third straight year.

Of course the presence of the seemingly unbeatable Winx rules out Bowman backing any other horse in the 2017 edition of the classic.

He does however have a huge early opinion of well-bred colt Calculated who could prove a genuine Cox Plate contender next Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival.

Calculated is certainly bred for Cox Plate success being a son of dual winner So You Think, who won in 2009 as a three-year-old and again in 2010 for the late Bart Cummings.

The two-year-old debuted at Rosehill back in February with Kerrin McEvoy riding him to a mid-field sixth over 1100m behind Albumin.

On Wednesday he backed-up from back-to-back Rosehill trial wins last month to break his maiden status in the first at Canterbury Park.

Bowman rode the hot $1.70 favourite in the $40,000 2YO Handicap over 1200m and while Calculated had only a neck to spare over the Peter & Paul Snowden-trained runner-up Brave Song, it was plenty to impress the jockey.

“He’s certainly a three-year-old type, as his father was,” Bowman, who rode eventual $8.8 million earner So You Think for his debut win in May of 2009, told the media on Wednesday.

“His father won the Cox Plate as a three-year-old, as we all know. I wouldn’t imagine he would be winning this year’s Cox Plate but it wouldn’t surprise me if he got there in the future.

“I think he’s a miler but he’s still immature and he’s only had his second start today so, I think when the nervous energy leaves him, because he’s a very sensible horse, he’s not hard to handle by any stretch, he’s certainly got what it takes and it will be nice to see him keep developing.”

Waller was also excited about what the future holds for Calculated once the juvenile matures and gets more racing under his belt.

“He’s only won by a small margin but I think it’ll be a good form race,” he said.

“He’s all quality and he hasn’t learnt what it’s about yet, but he will.

“A pressure type of race, being a short price favourite, we had to hustle and bustle him a little, so when you give him a chance to be a horse, I think he’ll really settle down and go to the next level.

“You take a lot of confidence out of the sire he’s by, So You Think, so I’m thinking a mile will be easier for him.”

Pre-nomination markets on the 2017 Cox Plate at race sponsor Ladbrokes.com.au already have Winx odds-on at $1.50 after her record breaking eight length victory over Hartnell last year.

To check out the full futures Cox Plate odds and spring betting markets head to Ladbrokes.com.au today.

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