Lowly raiders have a lot on their Plate
FOLKSWOOD, who boasts just one stakes win in his career, and Kaspersky, winless in 16 months, are the international raiders standing between Winx and her bid for racing immortality in the $3.5 million Cox Plate at Moonee Valley on Saturday.
It could be argued that in most other years, Folkswood and Kaspersky would be borderline at best to secure a Cox Plate start but champion Winx’s awesome presence means there are only six confirmed starters, including Happy Clapper, Royal Symphony and Gailo Chop.
The final accepters for the Cox Plate are taken today and Caulfield Cup winning trainer David Hayes hasn’t ruled out starting Seaburge, Darren Weir is considering backing up with Humidor after his fifth in the Caulfield Cup, and Kris Lees will watch Sense Of Occasion gallop at Moonee Valley this morning before deciding whether on the Cox Plate.
Godolphin’s Folkswood, trained by England’s Charlie Appleby, won the Listed Cranbourne Cup at his Australian debut this month which is hardly the formline of a potential Cox Plate winner.
There were English journalists at Werribee trackwork session yesterday morning who put some perspective into the debate.
“If Folkswood ran in the Champion Stakes at Ascot last weekend he would be 50/1,’’ one of the visiting pressman declared. “Winx would probably be favourite but she would be odds against.’’
Winx is $1.15 with UBET to win her third Cox Plate while Folkswood is at $26.
Australia’s mighty mare, aiming for her 22nd consecutive win, is set to start the shortest Cox Plate favourite since Phar Lap won at $1.07 in 1931. Victory will take her prizemoney over the $15 million barrier, overtaking Makybe Diva ($14.52 million) as the nation’s highest stakes earner, equal Black Caviar’s record of 15 Group 1 wins and the legendary Kingston Town’s three Cox Plates (1980-81-82).
But the Godolphin stable isn’t shying away from the challenge of taking on mighty mare Winx and attempting to foil her bid for a third successive Cox Plate.
“The way Folkswood won the Cranbourne Cup with a nice bit of ‘ease’, Charlie thought why not take on Winx,’’ said Appleby’s travelling stable representative Chris Connett at Werribee trackwork yesterday.
He said an encouraging report from jockey Kerrin McEvoy after he rode Folkswood to Cranbourne Cup success convinced Appleby to aim at the Cox Plate.
“He didn’t come out and say we are going to beat Winx or anything,’’ Connett said.