Race of Century lives on, but is repeat likely?
Thirty years on the hair on the back of veteran racing broadcaster and journalist Des Coppins’ neck still stand up when he recounts the 1986 Cox Plate.
The epic battle between Kiwi horses Bonecrusher and (Our) Waverley Star is commonly known as the Race of the Century and Coppins predicts that on the 30 year anniversary of that famous encounter, something similar could take place at Moonee Valley.
Many punters are predicting the clash of glamour mare Winx and rising star Hartnell could be the closest thing to Bonecrusher verses Our Waverley Star.
Coppins, who watched the 1986 Cox Plate huddled up with a large crowd who were jostling for spots around a TV at the Trentham races, believes Winx and Hartnell may go close to replicating that legendary encounter but said matching it could be another story.
‘‘The Cox Plate in itself is always a special race and we’ve seen plenty of special moments but I don’t think anything can match what Bonecrusher and Waverley Star gave us,’’ Coppins said.
With more than 1000m to run in the 1986 Cox Plate, Bonecrusher and Waverley Star, racing as Our Waverley Star in Australia, were let loose by jockeys Lance O’Sullivan and Gary Stewart. (Bonecrusher)
The pair went to war, stride-forstride, all the way to the post until Bonecrusher, heavily backed favourite, finally got the upperhand to win by neck.
At the finish, commentator Bill Collins produced the line ‘‘Bonecrusher races into equine immortality’’ and his five words became almost famous as the race itself.
Despite the Kiwis dominating the 1986 battle, even many Australian racing identities consider it the catalyst for shaping the Cox Plate into the iconic race it is today and Coppins said that was probably a fair assessment.
‘‘I think the Bonecrusher and Waverley Star battle took the race to another level."
With star Kiwi jockey James McDonald riding Hartnell and expat Kiwi trainer Chris Waller the trainer of Winx, Coppins is predicting the Kiwis to battle out another finish in 2016.
‘‘Winx herself is out of mare called Vegas Showgirl who raced in New Zealand so there is a strong Kiwi synergy to the race,’’ Coppins said.
Waller has told Coppins he does not think it will be a long drawn out battle between the favourite pair but the Trackside Radio host disagrees.
If there is no pressure applied to Winx in the running she will win easy, Coppins said.
‘‘I think James McDonald will be doing his level best to make certain he forces the issue and I get the feeling that we might just see a similar thing (to 1986).’’
But with all the talk of a two horse race, Coppins warned that upsets have happened in the Cox Plate before and in the unlikely event there is one on Saturday, Coppins said French horse Vadamos looks the most capable.
‘‘We don’t really know how good he is because we haven’t seen him in Australia.’’ Whether Winx and Hartnell can match the Race of the Century remains to be seen but regardless, the 2016 race looks destined to be another iconic chapter in Cox Plate history.