Ladbrokes Cox Plate Day 2017 has attracted a sold-out crowd at Moonee Valley Racecourse with Winx back for her third in in the meeting’s major, and below the Races.com.au team have the live Cox Plate Day results from The Valley across the afternoon.
Winx drew a capacity crowd to Moonee Valley winning her third Ladbrokes Cox Plate 2017 trophy. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.
Ladbrokes Cox Plate Day racing features a bumper 10 races, but the only one anyone really cares about is of course the Group 1 $3 million Ladbrokes Cox Plate (2040m).
Winx has won the Australasian weight-for-age classic twice in as many years setting records each time, firstly a race time record in 2015 then the winning margin record in 2016.
Chris Waller’s brilliant 14-time Group 1 winner returns for Moonee Valley Race 9 at 5:00pm (AEDT) and is odds-on in Cox Plate betting at Ladbrokes.com.au.
Entrées to the Winx show include the Moonee Valley Gold Cup (Race 6) for the Melbourne Cup types and the Crystal Mile (Race 8) for gallopers heading towards Saturday week’s Kennedy Mile on VRC Derby Day.
Stay tuned across the afternoon for the latest Melbourne racing results, live Cox Plate Day winners and the 2017 Cox Plate Results when Winx wins!
Race 10 (5:45pm) – Group 2 $200,000 Drummond Golf Vase (2040m)
Aloisia blitzed the boys with a runaway win in the 2017 Moonee Valley Vase to finish-up the Cox Plate Day results. Photo: Ultimate Racing Potos.
- 1st: #9 Aloisia
- 2nd: #1 Cliff’s Edge
- 3rd: #3 Salsamor
The Crown Oaks on the Thursday of the Melbourne Cup Carnival calls for the ultra-impressive filly Aloisia who backed-up from a Group 1 Thousand Guineas (1600m) win over the mile to easily account for the boys in the Moonee Valley Vase.
The Aaron Purcell-trained daughter of Azamour is bred to stay, and stay she did, disposing of her rivals once into the clear for a runaway win over the Ladbrokes Classic winner Cliff’s Edge who looked to be the winner travelling well before Aloisia came with her run.
Salsamor rounded out the trifecta, but was a distant third, further proving the dominance of the winning filly who will now start odds-on in the Oaks next race.
Read the full 2017 Moonee Valley Vase Results & Race Review.
Race 9 (5:00pm) – Group 1 $3,000,000 Ladbrokes Cox Plate (2040m)
Winx narrowly held off Humidor to set another Cox Plate record winning time in the 2017 edition of the weight-for-age classic. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.
- 1st: #8 Winx
- 2nd: #5 Humidor
- 3rd: #5 Folkswood
It was a show-stopping 2017 Cox Plate result that brought the sold-out crowd to their feet, Winx making the history books again with a record-equaling third victory in the classic after holding off the fast-finishing Humidor who gave the odds-on favourite a scare in the final 50m. The mighty mare joined the only other triple Cox Plate winner Kingston Town, toughening it out in a tenacious effort with the Darren Weir-trained Humidor right on her tail. The visiting Charlie Appleby-trained English raider Folkswood backed-up off his Cranbourne Cup win to finish third rounding out the Cox Plate trifecta in 2017.
Read the full 2017 Cox Plate Results & Race Review on the third Winx win.
Race 8 (4:10pm) – Group 2 $200,000 Schweppes Crystal Mile (1600m)
- 1st: #2 Lucky Hussler
- 2nd: #4 Religify
- 3rd: #1 It’s Somewhat
Jockey Blake Shinn continued his magic Cox Plate Day results with his fourth winner of the day riding home the Darren Weir-trained comeback galloper Lucky Hussler ($9) to an easy victory in the Crystal Mile.
It had been a long time between drinks for injury-prone eight-year-old Lucky Hussler, but with the hot pace on today over the Moonee Valley mile, it was the perfect race for the son of Husson to return to winning form.
After the Chris Waller-trained Religify and Weir’s other runner Burning Front raced away to leave the rest behind by six lengths in a speedily run edition of the Kennedy Mile lead-up, it was set up for Lucky Hussler and Shinn to strike.
They made their move, coasting up on the corner, and the result was never in doubt from there. Lucky Hussler raced away for an emphatic victory, while pacemaker Religify ($5) held for second ahead of the Doncaster Mile winner It’s Somewhat ($4.40) who improved second-up today.
Read the full 2017 Crystal Mile Results & Finishing Order.
Race 7 (3:35pm) – Group 2 $200,000 italktravel Fillies Classic (1600m)
Banish won the 2017 Moonee Valley Fillies Classic for her first Group status win on Ladbrokes Cox Plate Day. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.
- 1st: #2 Banish
- 2nd: #1 I’ll Have A Bit
- 3rd: #8 Touch Of Mink
The Godolphin blue was finally in the winners’ stall on Cox Plate Day thanks to a wonderful winning effort from progressive Lonhro filly Banish ($7) in the Moonee Valley Fillies Classic, who was the Races.com.au team’s tip to win.
The three-year-old has been steadily building to this Group 2 race, picked out for her by trainer James Cummings and the team, and she didn’t disappoint. Jockey Craig Williams came around the outside off a generous speed, which allowed for the backmarkers to come into the race late.
Once on the straight after a run off the pace, Banish kicked away well and fought hard to hold off I’ll Have A Bit ($8) and Touch Of Mink ($10) who was settled last in the run before coming right around the outside from the back.
Read the full 2017 Moonee Valley Fillies Classic Results & Race Review.
Race 6 (3:00pm) – Group 2 $300,000 McCafe Moonee Valley Gold Cup (2500m)
Who Shot Thebarman gets a chance at a fourth Melbourne Cup after a gutsy win in the 2017 Moonee Valley Gold Cup. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.
- 1st: #5 Who Shot Thebarman
- 2nd: #2 Libran
- 3rd: #7 Cismontane
Chris Waller‘s nine-year-old marvel Who Shot Thebarman ($8.50) is into his fourth Melbourne Cup field after the gallant warhorse took his earnings up over $3 million with success int he Moonee Valley Gold Cup 2017.
The third straight Cox Plate Day winner for jockey Blake Shinn, Who Shot Thebarman had to work home from the back and was too strong for the field including second-placed stablemate Libran ($10) who will also back-up on November in the ‘race that stops a nation’.
Waller prepared the Moonee Valley Gold Cup quinella for the second straight year, while the pacemaker and front runner Cismontane ($8.50) held on for third in a muddling run race.
Read the full 2017 Moonee Valley Gold Cup Results & Race Review.
Race 5 (2:25pm) – Group 3 $150,000 Powerflow Solutions Stakes (1600m)
Lubiton set a new track record with a speedy win in the 2017 Tesio Stakes on Cox Plate Day. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.
- 1st: #3 Lubiton
- 2nd: #8 Savapinski
- 3rd: #5 Invincibella
The Bjorn Baker-trained Lubiton ($6.50) set a new track record with her speedy win in the Powerflow Solutions Stakes, registered as the Tesio Stakes, on Cox Plate Day.
Improving on a lead-up second to today’s favourite Invincibella at Randwick over the mile, the four-year-old Snitzel mare turned the tables on her last start conqueror and posted a Group 3 success at The Valley over 1600m in a smart 1:34.42. That winning time saw her beat the previous track record of 1:34.78, set by Cabeza (31/12/2010).
The Chris Waller-trained top fancy Invincibella, coming off successive Sydney wins, missed the kick in the fifth by a length, while Lubiton began quickly to cross and lead the field around.
Jockey Blake Shinn repeated the all-the-way efforts that saw him ride home the winner of the last (Blondie in the Crockett Stakes) again enjoying a ride in front to the line on Lubiton who got things her way in the lead, while Invincibella travelled fourth on the rails throughout.
Once on the straight, the favourite looked at threat moving up on the rails, but Lubiton gave a nice kick 50m out to salute by an easing margin. The Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott-trained Savapinski ($7.50) just pinched second in a photo from the beaten favourite Invincibella ($3.70) who wasn’t really in striking position running a decent race for third.
Race 4 (1:50pm) – Listed $120,000 Ladbrokes Crockett Stakes (1200m)
Blondie led all-the-way to score an upset Ladbrokes Crockett Stakes 2017 win on Cox Plate Day. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.
- 1st: #6 Blondie
- 2nd: #10 Tarcoola Spirit
- 3rd: #8 Demerara
It was a high-paying Ladbrokes Crockett Stakes 2017 quinella in the black-type sprint for the three-year-old fillies on Cox Plate Day, Brendan McCarthy‘s all-the-way winner Blondie ($21) holding off a fast-finishing Tarcoola Spirit ($26), who flashed through between horses late, in the upset.
Race favourite Demerara ($1.90) was odds-on for the Godolphin stable to remain undefeated having won her earlier three career starts, but on debut in Melbourne just didn’t have enough late and had to settle for third after getting her chance.
It was a gutsy effort from the well-bred Reward For Effort filly Blondie who improved on her dead-last (15th) behind Bring Me Roses in the Group 2 Edward Manifold Stakes (1600m) over the Flemington mile last start. She relished the drop back in distance and class and despite getting tired in the final 100m, held for the win.
Race 3 (1:15pm) – Group 3 $150,000 Telstra Phonewords Stakes (1200m)
Eptimum scored a soft win at big odds in the 2017 Telstra Phonewords Stakes on Cox Plate Day. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.
- 1st: #9 Eptimum
- 2nd: #1 Single Bullet
- 3rd: #4 Trekking
Toby Edmonds‘ under-rated Gold Coast visitor Eptimum ($11) proved the value bet in the third, registered as the Red Anchor Stakes, as the Races.com.au team’s trifecta tip saluted but in reverse order.
Coming off back-to-back wins at Ballarat and Bendigo respectively, Snitzel gelding Eptimum did it easy in the end stepping-up in grade on Cox Plate Day 2017 for the soft Group 3 victory with regular rider Ryan Moloney in the saddle.
It was an impressive all-the-way effort with Eptimum beating eventual runner-up Single Bullet ($5.50) early for the lead, crossing to hit the front from the wide alley.
At the turn, the James Cummings-trained favourite Trekking ($3.30), off the fourth in Caulfield’s Group 3 H.D.F. McNeil Stakes, moved up to challenge the leader having been pushed deep and forced to move forward, with Single Bullet stalking.
Eptimum darted back to the inside once on the straight and flew away, drawing ahead for an easy victory in 1:09.98, just 0.3 seconds outside the class record.
Race 2 (12:40pm) – $120,000 Strathmore Community Bendigo Bank Handicap (955m)
Gun Case carried top weight from the outside gate to victory in the second for trainer Darren Weir on Cox Plate Day 2017. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.
- 1st: #1 Gun Case
- 2nd: #9 Danuki
- 3rd: #2 Badajoz
Trainer Darren Weir enjoyed a warm-up win ahead of saddling-up Gailo Chop and Humidor against Winx in the 2017 Ladbrokes Cox Plate field, posting a win in the second with his gutsy and honest War Pass seven-year-old Gun Case ($9).
Jockey Dean Yendall is down to 49.5kg to ride the three-year-old Royal Symphony for Tony McEvoy in this year’s Cox Plate, but carried dead weight on Weir’s 60kg top weight Gun Case in the Bendigo Bank Handicap.
Settled wide just off the pace, Yendall made sure to keep the Moonee Valley track specialist happy in the run before charging up the middle late arriving in time to defeat Danuki ($16) and the beaten race favourite Badajoz ($3) who came off back-to-back lead-up wins.
Eventual last-past-the-post Gee Gees Jet set the pace leading the field around, while Yendall got Gun Case up into a deep third around the bend. With 150m to go Rock ‘N’ Gold was looping the field and looking to charge home, but Gun Case gave a late kick to carry top weight from the outside gate to victory.
The horse has now won three-from-five at Moonee Valley and ran a slick 55.62 seconds over the 955m, which is under a length off the class record.
Race 1 (12:10pm) – Listed $250,000 Inglis Banner (1000m)
Setsuna broke her maiden status winning the first at The Valley on 2017 Ladbrokes Cox Plate Day. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.
- 1st: #6 Setsuna
- 2nd: #4 Bionics
- 3rd: #1 Grand Challenge
It may have been a disappointing night at The Valley for Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott with their Ladbrokes Manikato Stakes runner English cleared to run but eventually last in the Group 1, but the Tulloch Lodge stable was in winning form first-up on Cox Plate Day with an impressive victory from Choisir filly Setsuna ($2) in the Inglis Banner.
Previous race experience in the two-years-old race proved key with jockey Stephen Baster able to ride the winner home from a wide gate, the filly breaking her maiden status after her close second to Satin Slipper at Randwick on debut in the Listed Gimcrack Stakes (1000m) back in late September.
It was Miss Blumenthal who got away from the gates quickly to lead as expected, with Kerrin McEvoy’s mount Bionics ($8.50) and the Tony McEvoy-trained stablemate to upset Manikato Stakes winner Hey Doc, Faroe, jostling for second and third in the run. Setsuna meanwhile was wide in fourth, but travelling nicely approaching the turn.
Once on the straight Bionics was wayward on the outside of the leader but challenging, hitting the front at the 200m before a bold late finish from Setsuna who raced off for a three-quarter-length win over the previously unraced Hinchinbrook colt. Grand Challenge ($8.50) rounded out the trifecta, the Lindsay Park-trained colt having his second run after a seventh to Qafila in the Listed Debutant Stakes on Ladbrokes Caulfield Guineas Day.
*All times quoted are local (AEDT) and subject to change
