Cox Plate Breakfast At The Valley by J A McGrath
Thousands flocked to Melbourne's pocket gem of a racecourse, Moonee Valley, to watch racehorses galloping on Tuesday.
Nothing unusual in that? Surely?
Thousands flocked to Melbourne's pocket gem of a racecourse, Moonee Valley, to watch racehorses galloping on Tuesday.
Nothing unusual in that? Surely?
But there was one big difference. It was a training session. No betting. No prizemoney. It was a normal working day for citizens of this Southern capital. Oh yes, and one more thing, it started at 5.30am.
Yet, they turned out in droves for a glimpse of racing's equine and human stars, prior to a breakfast, followed by the draw for barrier positions in Saturday's big race, the G1 Cox Plate. Many racecourses would be happy for a crowd so big at a 'normal' meeting.
There can be no underestimating the fascination that sport generates in the city of Melbourne. Aussie Rules football is king, but Cricket, Formula 1, Tennis, Rugby, Soccer (football), and for the next four weeks, Horse Racing, all have their legions of passionate supporters.
The aforementioned sports each have their own window in Melbourne's cluttered social and sporting calendar. Racing's window is not quite as big as Aussie Rules, but it is wider and deeper than the rest. The G1 Melbourne Cup is a great sporting prize and everything, before and after in racing, enhances it.
A cliché it may be, but the nation of Australia truly does stop for The Cup (run at Flemington, November 3). And, even in the sport itself, globally, it is a genuine one-off.
The G1 Cox Plate, run at Moonee Valley on Saturday, does not enjoy the same iconic status as the Melbourne Cup, but all racing fans know that it is the country's premier weight-for-age race.
Godolphin came to Tuesday's dawn gallops with three major contenders, Hartnell, Contributer and Complacent.
Before the barrier draw even commenced, trainer John O'Shea had pulled Contributer out of the race. This eliminated any official deliberation on who deserved a place in the capacity 14-horse field. A total of 14 were left.
"We think Contributer is going very well at home, but it seems nothing has gone right in his races this campaign," O'Shea explained.
"We have decided that he will miss the Cox Plate and will go instead for the G1 Mackinnon Stakes, the following week at Flemington on Derby Day," he pointed out.
"The likely ground conditions, and the circumference of the track, will ensure he does not leave his comfort zone. For us, there is no doubt that the Mackinnon is the preferred option.
"Complacent deserves his chance to line up in the Cox Plate. He is a class horse. And, our other runner, Hartnell, is also going very well, and we are expecting a very big run from him," he said.
Criterion, trained by David Hayes and Tom Dabernig, is vying for favouritism with the Ballydoyle visitor, Highland Reel.
The draw is important, as there is a short run to the first turn. The Godolphin pair fared very well, with Hartnell drawing 3 and Complacent 6.
