Glamour mare Winx is the star of show today on Ladbrokes Cox Plate Day at The Valley and we will keep the punters informed with race by race results throughout the day.
Winx, above, is the star of the show on 2017 Ladbrokes Cox Plate Day at The Valley. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.
The Chris Waller trained Winx will trying to win her third consecutive Group 1 $3m Ladbrokes Cox Plate (2040m), race 9 at 5:00pm (Melbourne Time), on the ten event program.
The support card is also strong with the mares contesting the Group 3 $150,000 Powerflo Solutions Stakes (1600m) and several Melbourne Cup contenders going around in the Group 2 $300,000 Moonee Valley Gold Cup (2500m).
Also the three year old fillies will do battle in the Group 2 $200,000 Fillies Classic (1600m), the staying three year olds will go around in the Group 2 $200,000 Drummond Gold Vase (2040m) and the open milers will be seen in the Group 2 $200,000 Crystal Mile (1600m).
Below are the results of all the races on Ladbrokes Cox Plate Day.
(All times are Melbourne Times)
Race 1 (12:10pm) – $250,000 Inglis Banner (1000m)
Co-trainers Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott kicked of the 2017 Ladbrokes Cox Plate Day in great style providing the first winner of the day with Setsuna scoring a three quarters of a length win over Bionics in the Inglis Banner for the two year olds.
Setsuna, above, wins the first race on 2017 Ladbrokes Cox Plate Day at The Valley. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.
Stephen Baster settled Setsuna ($4 favourite) just behind the leading division and gave her plenty of room in the straight to claim the major prize over Bionics ($9) with Grand Challenge ($8.50) running on for third.
Setsuna showed the benefit of race experience after finishing second on debut in the Listed $150,000 Keeneland Gimcrack Stakes (1000m) at Randwick on September 30.
- 1st – Setsuna
- 2nd – Bionics
- 3rd – Grand Challenge
Race 2 (12:40pm) – $120,000 Strathmore Community Bendigo Bank Handicap (955m)
Gun Case scored his third win over the Moonee Valley 955m dash in the Bendigo Bank Handicap.
The Darren Weir trained Gun Case ($9) had to overcome the outside barrier in the nine horse field and also had to carry the top weight of 60kg, but the seven year old got the job done with a three quarters of a length win.
Hard riding from Dean Yendall saw Gun Case hold off the challenge of the minor placegetters Danuki ($17) and Badajoz ($3 favourite) who only had a nose between them.
Third placegetter Badajoz settled in the second half of the field and was doing his best work out wide over the concluding stages.
- 1st – Gun Case
- 2nd – Danuki
- 3rd – Badajoz
Race 3 (1:15pm) – Group3 $150,000 Telstra Phonewords Stakes (1200m)
The outside barrier in the nine horse field of the Phonewords Stakes for the three year olds didn’t stop the Toby Edmonds trained Eptimum recording his third straight win following hiss victroies at Ballarat and Bendigo.
Eptimum, above, wins for Ryan Maloney at The Valley. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.
Ryan Maloney got Eptimum ($11) quickly into stride from the wide gate and found the lead before being headed by the the $3.30 favourite Trekking mid race, but the Gold Coast trained three year old found another gear on the home turn and went to the line a clear winner over Single Bullet ($5.50).
Trekking with Hugh Bowman in the saddle held on for third.
- 1st – Eptimum
- 2nd – Single Bullet
- 3rd – Trekking
Race 4 (1:50pm) – Listed $120,000 Ladbrokes Crockett Stakes (1200m)
A superb front running ride from Blake Shinn saw smart filly Blondie score an upset win in the Crockett Stakes for the three year old fillies.
Blondie ($21) was quickly into stride from the inside barrier and able to set the pace before holding off the finishing challenge of Tarcoola Spirit ($26).
The odds on favourite Demerara ($1.90) tried to put pressure on Blondie in the middle stages and on the home turn before ending up in third position.
Today’s victory took Blondie’s winning tally to three form seven starts.
- 1st – Blondie
- 2nd – Tarcoola Spirit
- 3rd – Demerara
Race 5 (2:25pm) – Group 3 $150,000 Powerflo Solutions Stakes (1600m)
In-form jockey Blake Shinn wrapped up a winning double on Ladbrokes Cox Plate Day when he steered Lubiton to an all the way win in the Powerflo Solutions Stakes for the mares.
Lubiton, above, leads all of the way to win at The Valley, Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.
Shinn adopted the same tactics he used to ride the winner of the previous race, Blondie, and rated Lubiton perfectly in front to record a track record for the 1600m at Moonee Valley.
Lubiton ($6.50) was strong in the straight and held on to beat Savapinski (7.50) with the $3.60 favourite Invincibella finishing a close up third.
- 1st – Lubiton
- 2nd – Savapinski
- 3rd – Invincibella
Race 6 (3:00pm) – Group 2 $300,000 Moonee Valley Gold Cup (2500m)
Trainer Chris Waller trained the quinella in the Moonee Valley Gold Cup with Who Shot Thebarman and Libran filling the first two placings.
Blake Shinn claimed a winning treble when he brought Who Shot Thebarman ($8.50) from second last in the small seven horse field to score a half a length win over his stablemate Libran ($10).
The well supported Cismontane ($8.50) held on for third after leading while the odds on favourite ($1.95) Big Duke missed a place after settling in the box seat.
- 1st – Who Shot Thebarman
- 2nd – Libran
- 3rd – Cismontane
Race 7 (3:35pm) – Group 2 $200,000 Fillies Classic (1600m)
A patient Craig Williams ride saw Banish come from behind to win the Fillies Classic at The Valley.
Banish, above, wins the Fillies Classic at The Valley. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.
Williams settled Banish ($7.50) in the second half of the field and brought the James Cummings trained filly with a well-timed run to record a win over I’ll Have A Bet ($8.50) with Touch Of Mink ($10) in third spot.
The $4.80 favourite Mintha raced on the pace but faded in the straight to miss a place.
- 1st – Banish
- 2nd – I’ll Have A Bet
- 3rd – Touch Of Mink
Race 8 (4:10pm) – Group 2 $200,000 Crystal Mile (1600m)
Blake Shinn found his way into the winner’s stall again with Lucky Hussler saluting in the Crystal Mile, make it for four winners the top Sydney jockey on Ladbrokes Cox Plate Day.
Lucky Hussler settled well back in the field and with a hot pace on up front, the eight year old was always going to figure in the finish.
Shinn had Lucky Hussler ($9) challenging for the lead on the home turn and he drew away in the straight to record his first win for almost twelve months.
Religify ($5) did a great job to hold on for second after setting a cracking pace with It’s Somewhat ($4.40 favourite) sticking on for third.
- 1st – Lucky Hussler
- 2nd – Religify
- 3rd – It’s Somewhat
Race 9 (5:00pm) – Group 1 $3m Ladbrokes Cox Plate (2040m)
Super star mare Winx was able to equal Kingston Town’s long standing record of three Cox Plate wins with her third victory in the Weight For Age Championship today.
Winx, above in blue colours, wins her third Ladbrokes Cox Plate at The Valley. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.
Hugh Bowman had Winx ($1.18 favourite) attacking the leaders on the home turn and the mighty mare was able to hold off the desperate challenge of Humidor ($31) to record a half a length win.
The English galloper Folkswood ($26) was also brave in defeat in filling third position.
Bowman kept Winx out of trouble for the entire race but in doing so gave the mare a tough three wide passage for the majority of the trip.
- 1st – Winx
- 2nd – Humidor
- 3rd – Folkswood
Race 10 (5:45pm) – Group 2 $200,000 Drummond Gold Vase (2040m)
Thousand Guineas winner Aloisia stamped herself as the one to beat in the Group 1 $1m Kennedy Oaks (2500m) at Flemington on November 9 with a resounding win over the colts and geldings in the Dummond Gold Vase.
Winning jockey Luke Nolen gave Aloisia ($3) the run of the race tucked in behind the leaders and when clear in the straight ran away to record a very dominant win.
The Darren Weir trained Cliff’s Edge ($2.45) set the pace but couldn’t match it with Aloisia in the run to the line and held down second with Salsamor ($9.50) filling third spot.
- 1st – Aloisia
- 2nd – Cliff’s Edge
- 3rd – Salsamor
