The great race is almost here. In my opinion the WS Cox Plate is the best race in Australia and has been for many years. Last night I watched the TVN special on the Plate and the hairs on the back of neck still stood up after all these years when watching the epic Bonecrusher and Our Waverley Star dogfight. I was there that day and remember the moment like it was yesterday. The memories this race has provided to the racing public is immeasurable and hopefully we are treated to another blockbuste
The great race is almost here. In my opinion the WS Cox Plate is the best race in Australia and has been for many years. Last night I watched the TVN special on the Plate and the hairs on the back of neck still stood up after all these years when watching the epic Bonecrusher and Our Waverley Star dogfight. I was there that day and remember the moment like it was yesterday. The memories this race has provided to the racing public is immeasurable and hopefully we are treated to another blockbuster.
Although my Generic Ratings project is coming along quite well I still feel I do not have the differences in figures accurate enough to be making any big calls for the Cox Plate but there is no doubt Whobegotyou is not value at $2.50. At this stage of the ratings I have El Segundo, Heart Of Dreams and Whobegotyou as equal chances with Black Piranha 2.5kg away and Zipping 0.5 kg behind BP. You do not have to be a scientist to realize I have Black Piranha too highly rated at the distance and this now provides me with a better idea of how much difference I should have between a horses best distance of 1600m and an untried 2000m, at this level.
I am, however, happy with my top three being equal because quite simply I cannot be allowed to adjust El Segundo based on recent form until after the Plate. I have to rate him on his best and we all know he is the benchmark horse. I do not believe there is much between Whobegotyou and Heart Of Dreams, at this stage, based on their last run at this distance where W received the perfect split at the right time while HODreams had to travel wide on the home turn. The difference might be Whobegotyou's excellent MValley record plus perhaps, based on his VRC Derby effort, the ability to run further long term than Heart Of Dreams.
I will know many of the answers just after the race but before the event I will back Heart Of Dreams and El Segundo to beat Whobegotyou and even have a small saver on Zipping if his price is sensible.
I am now off to bed with the weights for Perth on Saturday!