Cox Plate: Racing’s superpowers challenge Winx head on

The international challenge to meet Winx head-on will be taken up by the two global superpowers of racing.

Winx has a session Altona beach in Melbourne as she prepares for the Cox Plate

The international challenge to meet Winx head-on in the $5 million Cox Plate (2040m) at Moonee Valley this Saturday will be taken up by the two global superpowers of racing: Coolmore and Godolphin.

Coolmore will lead the charge with powerful Irish colt Rostropovich, while Godolphin will hang their hopes on Benbatl and Avilius.

Godolphin has always been up for a challenge and good sports about taking on Winx. They have come knocking in the past with Hartnell and Folkswood — and been shown their place in the equine order.

Coolmore sent Highland Reel in 2015, using the same formula that proved successful for them a year earlier when a horse named Adelaide introduced trainer Aidan O’Brien and jockey Ryan Moore to the honour roll of legends in the southern hemisphere.

Highland Reel went around the world, tackling the best races, some more than once.

He struck Winx in 2015 — her first win — and neither Highland Reel nor the bruisers from Ballydoyle have tackled a Cox Plate since.

Until now.

Rostropovich has a swagger about him. When the Irish Derby runner-up struts his way out of the quarantine compound to gallop at Werribee, the Coolmore stable staff follow and gather by the outside rail to watch.

The colt is thriving and blossoming at Werribee and the Irish think he will win the Melbourne Cup.

The Cup was his mission and still may be if the $41 to $17 plunge is something to go by. O’Brien also has Yucatan in the Cup, now the $7 favourite and the winner in waiting some will have you believe. Has that motivated a change of plans or will Rostropovich run in both?

You can get $51 for the win and $6 the place about Rostropovich in the Cox Plate because Moore’s trip to Melbourne to ride U S Navy Flag in the Manikato Stakes on Friday night and stay over into Saturday for the Cox Plate is fresh news.

Godolphin were going to have three runners from three different divisions — Avilius from James Cummings’ local brigade, Benbatl from Saeed bin Suroor’s squadron and Blair House from Charlie Appleby’s arsenal. The latter will be reserved for the Mackinnon Stakes on the last day of the Flemington carnival.

Benbatl and Avilius are in peak form. Benbatl is the last-start winner of the Caulfied Stakes and Avilius is unbeaten in four Australian starts, though not at weight-for-age.

Winx on bare ratings alone has their number. But this is horse racing and things do run to numbers.

Winx worked at Flemington on Saturday over 1200 metres and she was on song. She will go to Moonee Valley to gallop at the Breakfast with the Best.

Chris Waller will also nominate D’Argento, while from New Zealand comes Savvy Coup a last-start Group I winner.

Humindorm, runner-up to Winx last year, is also ready to take on the mare one more time as she goes for four Cox Plates in a row.

Gai Waterhouse is also considering running three-year-old Thinkin’ Big against Winx and company.