Cox Plate 2016: Hartnell and Winx set for epic clash at Moonee Valley

PODCAST: THE three-horse race Winx finds herself competing at Caulfield on Saturday will ensure the champion mare is ready for a “match race” with Hartnell later this month.

THE three-horse race Winx finds herself competing at Caulfield on Saturday will ensure the champion mare is ready for a “match race” with Hartnell later this month.

Winx and Hartnell will almost certainly to be opposed to a full field of 14 in the $3 million Cox Plate (2040m) at Moonee Valley on October 22 but this is really becoming a clash between the two Sydney champions.

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Mighty mare Winx is a long odds-on favourite to record her 12th consecutive win in the Group 1 $600,000 Caulfield Stakes (2000m) tomorrow to set the stage for a Cox Plate that is being billed as the “race of the decade”.

The Godolphin stable confirmed on Thursday that Hartnell will miss the Caulfield Cup and be aimed at the Cox Plate.

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This immediately prompted some adjustments to TAB Fixed Odds betting for the Cox Plate with Winx at $1.90 and Hartnell in to $3 — then it is $13 and longer the rest.

Hartnell ran second to Winx when resuming in the Warwick Stakes in August but since then the powerhouse gelding has been in rampant form, winning the Chelmsford Stakes, Hill Stakes and Turnbull Stakes by an aggregate margin of 17.5 lengths.

It was Hartnell’s absolute dominance in the Turnbull that convinced the Godolphin stable to target a Winx showdown in the Cox Plate.

Godolphin’s Australian managing director Henry Plumptre said the reason Hartnell is being aimed at the Cox Plate was because the gelding was racing so well at 2000m and to avoid a clash with the stable’s European raider Scottish in the Caulfield Cup.

“We think the Cox Plate is a nice race for Hartnell, he is going very well over a-mile-and-a-quarter, he is settling in his races,” Plumptre said.

“Someone mentioned to me yesterday that we left him in the Caulfield Cup at the last acceptance stage and we did that in case something went wrong with Scottish this week, but it was purely to see if he (Scottish) gets over his trip OK.

“John Ferguson didn’t think there was much point running Sheikh Mohammed’s best European stayer against his best Aussie stayer in the Caulfield Cup and wanted to split them up.’’

Hartnell’s trainer John O’Shea was typically measured when asked about the much-awaited clash between his stable star and Winx.

“We are all about getting our own house in order, it is really no consideration what else is in the race,” O’Shea said. “It would be an honour to win a Cox Plate for His Highness but again as to what is in it, we are not going to give any focus to that.

John O'Shea has Hartnell in great form this spring. Picture: Mark Evans

“She (Winx) is a champion mare and you know with Chris (Waller) and Hughie (Bowman) that it will be on its absolute best on Cox Plate Day.

“With regard to the competition factor, I think that is more for the racing public to get involved in, we are just about getting our own house in order.”

O’Shea did add that Hartnell has come through his Turnbull Stakes win in great order.

“You wouldn’t know he had a run to be honest, he dropped only 1kg for the day out,” O’Shea said. “He has made good improvement again, we are happy with where he is at and I’m happy with the three weeks going in to the Cox Plate.”

Winx holds all the aces

Ray Thomas

SUPER mare Winx is expected to cruise away with the Caulfield Stakes on Saturday — but it may not be the routine win most are expecting.

At least this is the opinion of leading form expert Gary Crispe who believes the 2000m weight-for-age race could turn into competitive battle between Winx and Black Heart Bart.

“A field of three is disappointing on face value but there have been plenty of memorable three-horse races over the years and this has the potential to be one of them,’’ Crispe said

“Winx is rated 128 by Timeform and one of the best mares to have graced the Australian turf.

“In Black Heart Bart she meets a credible rival, a winner of three Group 1 races himself, and a horse unbeaten in three runs at Caulfield. Black Heart Bart has a Timeform rating of 126 so he will make a race of it with the mare.’’

Crispe said the form around Winx this spring looks is working out extremely well as she easily defeated Hartnell first-up in the Warwick Stakes by more than two lengths.

Hartnell has since romped home to very easy wins in the Chelmsford Stakes, Hill Stakes and Turnbull Stakes.

Winx then defeated Hauraki in the George Main Stakes and that horse then won the Epsom Handicap brilliantly last week.

“Winx had a month between runs going into the George Main and was slightly below her best beating Hauraki,’’ he said.

“But she will improve off that win and is ready to take on Black Heart Bart who has also been racing well, winning the Memsie Stakes and Underwood Stakes this spring.

“He Or She, the third runner in the Caulfield Stakes, has been edging closer to Black Heart Bart in three clashes this spring, getting to within 2.5 lengths of the Underwood winner last start. Back in the autumn He Or She finished the best part of nine lengths from Winx, getting 6.5kgs from her, in the Doncaster.

“This form line paints a daunting picture for the Melbourne-based duo who shouldn’t be able to unduly trouble Winx on Saturday.’’