Who would win Cox Plate match race between Winx and Kingston Town?
WHO would have come out on top in a race between the Cox Plate’s King and Queen — Kingston Town and Winx? Ratings expert Gary Crispe has crunched the numbers and found a winner.
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IF the Cox Plate is the race where legends are made, then there are two champions that stand out from the rest — Kingston Town and Winx.
They are the only three-time winners of the Moonee Valley showpiece and both are revered as all-time great racehorses.
Kingston Town completed his Cox Plate hat-trick in 1980-81-82 and was an inaugural Hall of Fame inductee in 2001 alongside Phar Lap, Carbine, Bernborough and Tulloch.
Winx has won the last three Cox Plates and was given Hall of Fame honours earlier this year.
As the mighty mare prepares for an unprecedented fourth successive $5 million Cox Plate (2040) at Moonee Valley on Saturday, the inevitable comparisons are being made between Kingston Town and Winx.
Riding legend “Miracle” Mal Johnston was Kingston Town’s regular jockey and told The Daily Telegraph earlier this week he has mixed feelings about Winx’s attempt at a historic four Cox Plate.
“I always wanted her to equal Kingston Town’s Cox Plate record, although I’ve got to admit I’m not real sure I want her to beat his record,’’ Johnston said.
“But if anyone is going to knock him off I’m glad it is this mare because she is freak.
“Winx is as good a horse as I’ve ever seen. She will win another Cox Plate — only bad luck can beat her — and I will be the first to stand up and cheer her home.’’
There is a gap of 35 years between Kingston Town and Winx’s Cox Plate hat-tricks and so much has changed in racing during this period.
But what is irrefutable is that Kingston Town and Winx were unbeatable at Moonee Valley, the venue for some of their finest career wins.
Form expert Gary Crispe of Racing And Sports accepted the unenviable and almost impossible task of trying to line up the two mighty racehorses and their three Cox Plate wins to determine who is the race’s greatest champion.
“Kingston Town is the most apt comparison for Winx — for his Cox Plate record but also for his talent and his versatility,’’ Crispe said.
“Timeform ratings bear this out — Winx is rated 134 and Kingston Town 137.
“In a theoretical match-race, where Winx would receive a mare’s allowance, the Queen topples the King by a narrow margin.’’
Crispe then assessed each champion’s three Cox Plate wins and gave the following summary.
KINGSTON TOWN (1980) v WINX (2015)
Kingston Town had been beaten in his five previous Melbourne starts but when he got to Moonee Valley for the 1980 Cox Plate, he was back to his outstanding, dominant self.
“We are going to see the real Kingston Town today,’’ said racecaller Bill Collins as Johnston guided the champion up to challenge the leaders on the home turn.
Kingston Town then showed his famous powers of acceleration as streaked clear of Prince Ruling and Our Paddy Boy to win by five lengths.
Winx’s first Cox Plate was won in similar decisive fashion four years ago.
Jockey Hugh Bowman rode to the track bias that day, never left the rails and Winx dashed away from Criterion and Highland Reel to win by 4¾ lengths in track record time.
Crispe gave Kingston Town a Timeform rating of 129 in his first Cox Plate, while Winx was allocated 126. “The mare’s allowance gives Winx the edge in the first Cox Plate — 1-0 to Winx,’’ Crispe said.
KINGSTON TOWN (1981) v WINX (2016)
“IT’S a Winx blitz,’’ said caller Matt Hill as the mighty mare won by a record eight lengths.
The 2016 Cox Plate was billed as a match race between Winx and Hartnell but the champion mare left her rival standing from the turn.
Kingston Town was in a pocket and looked to be in trouble on the turn before he found clear galloping room and chased down Lawman and Binbinga for an exciting win.
But Crispe was in no doubt which was the superior win giving Winx a 133 Timeform rating with Kingston Town earning 128.
“Winx lit up the Valley in her second Cox Plate,’’ he said.
“Her 133 rating is essentially Winx at her best and Kingston Town would have been left somewhere in the range of three lengths behind the mare.’’
KINGSTON TOWN (1982) v WINX (2017)
THESE were famous Cox Plate wins and not only because both champions completed a hat-trick of wins in the great race.
Who will ever forget Collins’s famous line at about the 400m mark of the 1982 Cox Plate: “Kingston Town can’t win!”
Kingston Town was midfield and under hard riding at that point, his Cox Plate dominance did look over. But when he got to the outside on the turn, “The King” unleashed an unforgettable finishing sprint to swamp Grosvenor and My Axeman.
Winx travelled wide for most of the Cox Plate last year and Humidor had the drop on the mare from the turn but he couldn’t get closer than three-quarters of a length.
Crispe said Kingston Town’s third Cox Plate was one of the champion’s best wins.
“Kingston Town rated 132 winning in 1982,’’ he said.
“Only the great champions could do what he did that day.
“Winx broke her own track record last year and rated 126. I don’t believe Winx was at her top last year, having to work hard to fend off a game Humidor. As good Humidor is, he is no Kingston Town, and ‘The King’ would have taken one back there, leaving the ledger at 2-1.’’
So, the stage is set for a unique piece of Australian racing history on Saturday as Winx attempts a fourth Cox Plate win.
“Winx is ‘sailing’ into uncharted waters on Saturday,’’ Crispe said.
“She matched the deeds of Kingston Town, winning a third consecutive Cox Plate last year, and she is out to dethrone ‘The King’ by making it four against a cosmopolitan field.
“Winx is already assured her place in the pantheon of the greats but a fourth Cox Plate will give her a legacy that will likely go unmatched for decades to come.’’
WINX
Cox Plate wins
2017 (2.02.94 race record)
2016 (2.06.35)
2015 (2.02.98)
KINGSTON TOWN
1982 (2.05.50)
1981 (2.06.70)
1980 (2.07.30)