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The greats win the WS Cox Plate run at Moonee Valley on Saturday.
No greater than Winx did it four times. Who joins the legends in the 2020 WS Cox Plate (2040m) at Moonee Valley on Saturday?
2020 WS Cox Plate: Nominations
2020 WS COX PLATE - RACE HISTORY AND BACKGROUND
The WS Cox Plate is a Group 1 race run under Weight For Age conditions for open age class horses at Moonee Valley conducted by the Moonee Valley Racing Club.
The WS Cox Plate is run over 2040m. It was first run in 1922 and was won by Violoncello.
In the early days it was run over 1900m and then over 2000m until 1975.
The WS Cox Plate was a Principal Race until 1979 then Group 1.
The race is named after the club's founder who had the land where Moonee Valley is in 1882. It is the most prestigious WFA race in Australia run at the Championship distance.
In 1946 the race was divided into two divisions won by Leonard and Flight with the latter a grand mare.
TJ Smith holds the record with seven wins and Darby Munro has five winners as jockey.
Several runnings in the last 30 years have seen controversial protests with Let's Elope relegated to fifth in 1992 after the dodgem cars race as Better Loosen Up was checked late. Basically four horses were knocked out of the race earlier with Palace Reign, Sydeston and Naturalism crashing at the 600m and Rough Habit hurdling them.
In 2001 Sunline and Northerly were in a battle from the turn and the 3yo Viscount was the meat in the sandwich but all protests were thrown out.
Three year olds have had a good record in the race overall but the only filly to win was Surround in 1976. Adelaide (overseas 3yo), Shamus Award, So You Think, Savabeel, Octagonal, Red Anchor, Taj Rossi, Abdul, Daryl's Joy and Rajah Sahib those in the last 50 years.
Since Dane Ripper's win in 1997, mares have won another nine times.
Multiple winners have been prevalent. So You Think, Fields Of Omagh, Northerly, Sunline, Kingston Town, Tobin Bronze, Hydrogen, Flight, Tranquil Star, Beau Vite, Young Idea, Chatham and Phar Lap have all got more than one win. Kingston Town held the record until Winx came along winning her fourth straight.
Rising Fast won the 1954 Cox Plate in the middle of his Caulfield Cup and Melbourne Cup successes becoming the only horse to do the treble.
One of the most famous races was in 1986 when Bonecrusher and Our Waverley Star took off at the 800m and staged a war until the last few strides.
Adelaide won for Ireland in 2014 and then Lys Gracieux rounded up the field for Japan in 2019. She would take the Arima Kinen in spectacular fashion back at home afterwards.
However it cannot be understated the grandeur of Winx taking out four on the trot for Chris Waller and Hugh Bowman. It meant she had won 29 consecutive races and would end up with 33 to end the career.
The WS Cox Plate was worth $5million in 2020.
Notable winners of the WS Cox Plate include Lys Gracieux (2019), Winx (2015/2016/2017/2018), So You Think (2009/2010), Makybe Diva (2005), Northerly (2001/2002), Sunline (1999/2000), Might And Power (1998), Saintly (1996), Octagonal (1995), Super Impose (1992), Better Loosen Up (1990), Bonecrusher (1986), Strawberry Road (1983), Kingston Town (1980/1981/1982), Dulcify (1979), Gunsynd (1972), Tobin Bronze (1966/1967), Tulloch (1960), Redcraze (1957), Rising Fast (1954), Ajax (1938), Chatham (1932/1934), and Phar Lap (1930/1931).
The 2019 WS Cox Plate was won by Lys Gracieux from Castelvecchio and Te Akau Shark.
