Helmet Can’t Be Faulted In Cox Plate 2011

Helmet

Helmet is great chance for Darley in the Cox Plate

He’s one half of the three year old dream team for Darley and this weekend Helmet is a massive chance in the Cox Plate.

Peter Snowden is spoilt for riches in the three year old ranks and the best thing about it is they don’t have to compete against each other.

Sepoy trots around winning group races in sprint events while every other weekend Helmet is out at the middle distances doing the same thing.

Sepoy however has already proven he’s just as capable against open company as well and that’s what Helmet has to do this weekend.

In addition to that he’s also got to run over more than a mile for the first time in his career and do so in the premiere weight for age contest in Australasia.

That being said stable rep Paul Snowden says they have no concerns and Helmet is capable of winning the 2011 Cox Plate.

“He’s in a great spot at the moment, we couldn’t be happier with him,” he said.

“The horse is already there, his performances of late have been exceptional.”

This will be Peter Snowden’s first ever Cox Plate runner as Darley head honcho but there will be no variation in the usual plan of attack for Helmet.

“We’re e just trying to keep it as normal as we possibly can with him,” he said.

“We’re just looking to hold him there, if you’re not fit now you’ve got no hope of winning a race like this.”

Snowden says Helmet will take plenty out of his hard fought win over Manawanui in the Caulfield Guineas but also a lot from his juvenile career.

“The thing that holds him in good stead is his two year old year,” Snowden said, referring to his victories in the Group 1 Sires Produce Stakes and Group 1 Champagne Stakes.

The big key to Helmet in the Cox Plate though isn’t those races, or his work this week or even barrier 11, it’s the fact that at 49.5kgs he comes in 5kgs better off than any other runner.

“That light weights got to kick in somewhere, hopefully it’s the last furlong,” Snowden said.

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