Benbatl banks on Cox Plate success
GODOLPHIN trainer Saeed Bin Suroor is adamant Benbatl is up for the challenge of trying to thwart Winx’s bid for a historic fourth successive $ 5 million Cox Plate ( 2040m) at Moonee Valley today.
“I have a lot of respect for the filly,’’ Bin Suroor said of Winx. “She is a superstar and the best in Australian history but my horse is really good, he worked well ( this week) and is in good form.’’
Benbatl, winner of the Caulfield Stakes two weeks, ago, is rated the main threat to Winx completing her Cox Plate quartet today.
Winx is the dominant $ 1.22 favourite with Benbatl, who at one stage got to as short as $ 8 earlier in the week, is back out to $ 9.50.
It is $ 18 ( Humidor) and longer the rest of six Cox Plate runners.
Bin Suroor has had runners at the Victorian spring carnival almost every year since he saddled up Faithful Son to run seventh behind Jezabeel in the 1998 Melbourne Cup.
But in the two decades since, Bin Suroor has only ever had one previous Cox Plate starter, Grandera who ran third behind champion Northerly in 2002.
Bin Suroor revealed that he has planned to aim Benbatl at the Cox Plate 10 months ago.
“The plan from January in Dubai was to set Benbatl and ( Caulfield Cup winner) Best Solution for Melbourne,’’ he said.
“I I ran them in Europe to see how much they improved. After Benbatl won in March in Dubai that gave me confidence to bring him here.’’