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Last year's winning margin (one length) in the Dato Tan Chin Nam or Feehan Stakes, was the equal of the previous seven combined.
It surely must be the mystic of Moonee Valley generating such drama - hard to find any other factor causing such remarkably close finishes. Let's take a look at this important Cox Plate lead up.
2nd: Makybe Diva (55.5kg), 3rd: Fields of Omagh (58.0kg)
Lad Of The Manor loves the Valley Photo by Racing and Sports In the Spring of 2004, Lad of the Manor was given his first shots at the big league with a Waterford Crystal Mile win and a close 2nd in the G1 Emirates Stakes. A high quality but frustratingly unlucky Autumn culminated in a great 3rd to Makybe Diva in the Australian Cup. So he came to the next Spring with hope and robust form behind him – and it showed. A first up Liston win on a heavy track gave the insight that he would be hard to beat at a place where he was 3 wins from 3 starts. While he settled just off the pace, the mare had to give him many lengths start but ran him to a very small margin. Moonee Valley is widely regarded as a specialists track and this race showed it up perfectly as all three placegetters and the inexperienced El Segundo in 4th place would hold a grip on the Feehan/Dato Tan Chin Nam and its natural big brother, the Cox Plate over a five year span. Later in the Spring he would find Makybe just too good in the Turnbull and, together with bad luck, again could not better her in the Cox Plate before finally getting his deserved G1 in the Mackinnon Stakes.
He made it back to back in 2006 Photo by Bronwen Healy While Lad of the Manor's lead in form to his first Dato Tan Chin Nam Stakes was excellent, his second attempt had been disappointing. Favoured to win WFA races in the Autumn, he didn't have the get up and go from his previous year and a six length defeat in the Memsie was of little encouragement. But a Moonee Valley specialist is a Moonee Valley specialist. The consistent Apache Cat led with the perennial entrant Fields of Omagh outside and Red Dazzler third. Barrier One dictated that Lad of the Manor would be held up on the fence for much of the race but when they got to the school, Greg Childs was able to angle him into the clear, coming the second widest but at least he had momentum. Using the camber to the fullest, Childs kept at him, battling Apache Cat right to the line with the latest of late dives. Sadly Roger Hoysted would lose the biggest battle of them all a year later and maybe 'the Lad's' drop off in form in 2007 was because he'd lost his mate. At the very least Lad of the Manor can live a life of luxury in retirement as all great geldings should enjoy.
• 2007 – EL SEGUNDO 6g (Pins x Palos Verdes) ($2.50 fav)
Jockey: Luke Nolen, Trainer: Colin Little
Barrier: 4, Weight: 59.0kg
Gross Time: 1:36.27, 600m Sectional: 36.20
Margin: 0.1L, Track: Good, Starters: 11
2nd: Haradasun (58.5kg), 3rd: Cinque Cento (56.5kg)
El Segundo nosed out Haradasun in a classic Photo by Bronwen Healy What were we saying about horses in love with a certain track. Despite El Segundo being trained at Caulfield and racing very well there with numerous Group One victories recorded, it's fair to say he did not run a poor race in his life on the StrathAyr surface. His lead ins were just even efforts in the Aurie Star and the Memsie but the mile was his craving. Activation was sent out with intentions to lead and that he did at pace. Cinque Cento was forced to cart the field up to the leader but could barely get any closer than 4 lengths at the school. The quality WFA horses El Segundo and Haradasun were nearly 10 lengths behind. But as the front runners got the staggers, the really good horses took control, sweeping to advantage. While Haradasun and Beadman tried hard, Luke Nolen got the best out of El Segundo who nosed his rival on the post. It was the same margin he'd lost the Cox Plate by 11 months earlier. Efficient rattled home late to give a little notice of a major assignment to come while the winner would reverse his defeat in the race 'where legends are made'.
• 2008 – GUILLOTINE 4h (Montjeu x Refused The Dance) ($31)
Jockey: Craig Williams, Trainer: David Hayes
Barrier: 5, Weight: 58.5kg
Gross Time: 1:35.98, 600m Sectional: 36.19
Margin: 0.4L, Track: Good, Starters: 14
2nd: Casual Pass (59.0kg), 3rd: Tears I Cry (59.0kg)
Efficient's brother Guillotine caused a major boilover Photo by Racing and Sports When you are the brother of a Melbourne Cup winner by a staying sire you are naturally expected to be able to get a journey. Guillotine showed in his initial few runs in Sydney that he was heading in that direction. His 2yos runs were excellent but as a 3yo he struggled in the Derby lead ups and the big race itself. The owner sent him to Lindsay Park and the fresh air and surrounding obviously did him good. After a first up win at Cheltenham he went straight to WFA against the best of company. In a fast run race with plenty of leaders, Williams settled him three pegs doing no work. As the on pacers began to struggle Maldivian hit the front but Guillotine got over heels on the bend. He ranged up and won like a good horse with backmarkers flying home. In fact looking back now, the Cox Plate quinella got beaten comprehensively really. Thereafter the grey was adequate in G1 fields without winning and got injured either during or just after the Caulfield Cup.
• 2009 – WHOBEGOTYOU 4g (Street Cry x Temple of Peace) ($2.38 fav)
Jockey: Damien Oliver, Trainer: Mark Kavanagh
Barrier: 6, Weight: 58.5kg
Gross Time: 1:37.39, 600m Sectional: 33.59
Margin: 1L, Track: Good, Starters: 10
2nd: Mic Mac (58.5kg), 3rd: Jolie's Shinju (57.0kg)
Whobegotyou loves racing at the Valley Photo by Bronwen Healy Here was a horse expected to run well at this track. If previous experience alone was anything to count by, he was a moral here. Whobe had won 3 from 3 including a Vase and a Stutt and so naturally was being aimed at the Cox Plate. His Liston and Memsie runs were top drawer and so had to start fav even over the flying Mic Mac. With the Singapore mare Jolie's Shinju running along and Magical Pearl nearby, it set the race up. Mic Mac landed 1 x 1 while Oliver had his tail and covered all the moves. While the mare ran well, she couldn't hold out the good horses and Mic Mac turned for home in front but Whobegotyou went with him and only just nailed the other horse with 30m to go. He'd subsequently win the Yalumba but a glitch in the armour perhaps over 2000m was shown up in the Plate, failing to run on behind So You Think.
RACE PROFILE
o A definitive race for the horses who've shown a clear love of Moonee Valley.
o It's not been a good race for leaders as the winners have generally come from off the pace.
o Reasonably well sized fields don't really indicate a barrier advantage but inside gates have shown up as some assistance.
o Favoured runners have been well found and victorious, except for last year.
o Horses of all ages have won recently except the 3yos who haven't had a win since 1974.
o Five of the last eight winners have used the Memsie as their final lead up but none of them actually won the Memsie.
o Cox Plate winning jockeys have won 7 of the last 8 runnings.
o Last 10 Winners Most Prevalent Age of winner – 4yo (4 times)
o Last 10 Years Winningest Barrier Range <1-4> - 6 times
o Last 10 Winners Average Price of winner – $6.25
o Breakdown of winners – 6 geldings, 1 mare & 3 entires
o Last 10 Years CF Orr Stks / Dato Tan Chin Nam Stks double – El Segundo ('07)
o Last 10 Years Liston Stks / Dato Tan Chin Nam Stks double – Lad of the Manor ('05)
o Last 10 Years Memsie Stks / Dato Tan Chin Nam Stks double – Sunline ('00)
o Last 10 Years Carlyon Stks / Dato Tan Chin Nam Stks double – El Segundo ('07)
o Last 10 Years Tulloch Stks / Dato Tan Chin Nam Stks double – Natural Blitz ('03)
o Last 10 Years Aurie's Star Stks / Dato Tan Chin Nam Stks double – Fields of Omagh ('02)
o Last 10 Years Manikato Stks / Dato Tan Chin Nam Stks double – Sunline ('00)
o Last 10 Years Australian Cup / Dato Tan Chin Nam Stks double – Northerly ('01)
SUMMARY & SELECTIONS
The small field is a bit disappointing but it can happen in this race as the WFA stars tend to get split up with a race on week after week.
Can Typhoon Tracy get her WFA Spring bogey off her shoulders? Photo by Racing and Sports
The pace seems blatantly obvious with Typhoon Tracy leading, Shoot Out nearby and Whobegotyou and Zipping next in line.
Peter Moody has suggested he is training the mare differently this time with more strength in mind and that might be exactly what is needed in this race.
Often they take off well before the turn and if she only winds up on the bend she might get out sprinted. So would like to see Nolen start rolling at the 800m and get into her at the school.
Shoot Out looked flat footed last time. He is probably now looking for even more than a mile and one can only think back that his best in on the bigger tracks. MV sure won't help it out.
Not many horses can place twice in a Cox Plate and the old boy Zipping does love this track. Can't see him winning but if there is a value place getter, he might be able to run home and do it.
