Hartnell and Hauraki complete stylish Cox Plate gallop

Godolphin’s leading G1 Cox Plate prospect Hartnell has reacquainted himself with the Moonee Valley track in a gallop that suggested he is happy to be back.

Hartnell last appeared at the Melbourne course a year ago when he finished fifth behind the star filly Winx when she was in the middle of an unbeaten run she has now extended to 12 wins.

While his trainer John O’Shea acknowledges Hartnell needs to find many lengths to get on terms with Winx, he believes his horse has made sufficient improvement to at least be competitive.

“Everything’s gone right so far this season, whereas last year everything went wrong,” O’Shea said.

The extent to which things are going right for Hartnell has been apparent in resounding wins at his past three runs, the latest in the G1 Turnbull Stakes at Flemington on October 2.

And he showed he had maintained his form in Tuesday’s gallop, moving smoothly and finishing off strongly.

“It did him good to come over here and have a look and stretch his legs a little because he’s had a relatively easy time since the Turnbull,” O’Shea said.

“The Cox Plate is an extremely strong race, I don’t think it’s a two horse race by any means.

“Winx is a champion but others, like Lucia Valentina is a great mare and I think she’s going to be very effective here at Moonee Valley.

“And three-year-old fillies who can win a Spring Champion Stakes like Yankee Rose did, that’s a wonderful achievement. She’s a class three-year-old, and we know three-year-olds have a great record.

“The enormity of the task is not lost on us, we’re under no illusion as to the strength of the race. It’s a vintage year to say the least.”

O’Shea’s other runner in the race regarded as Australia’s supreme WFA test, Hauraki had his first look at Moonee Valley and the G1 Epsom Handicap winner handled the experience in good style.

“He’s in great form, he seemed to get around the Valley without a problem and he’s settled in at our Flemington base tremendously well,” O’Shea said.

The A$3-million Cox Plate is run at Moonee Valley on October 22.