Michelle Payne’s Cox Plate dreams dashed after Kaspersky scratched

MICHELLE Payne’s dreams of riding in her first Cox Plate were cruelly ended this morning with the scratching of her mount Kaspersky.

Michelle Payne will not have a ride in the Cox Plate after Kaspersky was scratched. Picture: Getty Images

MICHELLE Payne’s dream of riding in a Cox Plate for the first time was shattered this morning with the race-day scratching of her mount Kaspersky.

The seven-year-old international was withdrawn from the $3 million race shortly after 8am after it was revealed to be suffering swelling and soreness in near off foreleg.

The $81 chance was one of the clear outsiders in the Cox Plate, but Payne had been buoyant about the horse’s chances and had desperately wanted to ride in the race she has attended since she was a kid.

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Earlier in the week she pleaded with the Moonee Valley Racing Club to allow Kaspersky into the field and was delighted with the horse’s chances after Tuesday’s Breakfast With The Best gallop.

But Payne, who caused a boil over with Prince of Penzance to win the 2015 Melbourne Cup, will sadly be watching from the sidelines as Winx shoots for history today, with the mate aiming to equal Kingston Town’s Cox Plate threepeat.

Michelle Payne completes track work with Kaspersky. Picture: Jay Town

Payne said earlier this week: “You can only do your best. We’ll go out there and treat it like any other race and give it our best shot and see what happens.”

The 32-year-old took a day off from country racing and watched with her family and school friends as her brother Patrick piloted Northerly to victory in the race in 2002.

“It’d be pretty special,” she said of having a ride in the Cox Plate.

“It’s right up there with the Melbourne Cup. Obviously it’s such a unique race because the committee only let in certain horses that they think are eligible to compete in it.”

Originally published as Michelle Payne’s Cox Plate dreams dashed after Kaspersky scratched