2005 COX PLATE - REVIEW

Now that the MV dust has settled or, more accurately, the mud has dried out, it's time to review Australia's premier quality horse race and try and line up where the performance fits in the pantheon of Cox Plate triumphs.

The clear winners on the day were the great mare, Makybe Diva, and the millions of people who were cheering for her. Biggest losers were the bookies...and I won't be breaking out the tissues for them any time soon!

Makybe Diva continues to amaze me. How is it that a 7YO mare can be so dominant when two years ago, when she should have been at her peak, she wasn't? Clearly, the transfer from David Hall (who is now training in Hong Kong) to Lee Freedman has worked wonders. She now possesses a breathtaking turn of foot that she never used to, which carries her to victory as she sweeps home from the back of the pack. Courtesy of two Melbourne Cups, a Cox Plate, an Australian Cup and a BMW - not forgetting a Sydney Cup - she is now Australasia's leading prizemoney winner.

And doesn't that Tony Santic look like he's having a good time? I don't know what pact he's made with the Devil to get it to rain nearly every time she steps out for a big race but it's obviously working for him. On that point, her dry track record makes impressive reading, too. She annexed the Sydney Cup and Australian Cup with nary a cloud in sight.

Lotteria was brave in running 2nd. People have generally underestimated this mare mainly, I think, because they're too busy bagging Gai Waterhouse rather than understanding how great a trainer she actually is. She was my top pick, as I thought she'd have the run of the race, which she did, and I wondered whether Makybe Diva would get into a traffic jam. Punting is all about the money and I'll take my $8.50 the place Lotteria vs the $2.10/$1.40 you got from backing the winner any day of the week.

And isn't Fields Of Omagh an amazing old horse? He's run in four Cox Plates for a 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 5th. He's owned by the No Big Deal syndicate, which is managed by (crap) racecaller, Bryan Martin. I'd suggest that the $4M+ prizemoney belies the syndicate name.

So onto an analysis of the strength of the race. Gotta be some controversy somewhere!

Objectivity is not something that most punters have. An inability to assess, unemotionally, a horse's performance is why bookies will always drive Mercedes and BMWs. We see it in the ridiculous running down of Sunline's performances and the massive over-estimation of Might And Power as anything other than a high class front-running stayer. Which reminds me, I should post the analysis I did a while back on why M&P's Cox Plate was the weakest for years...

Basically, the field for the 2005 Cox Plate was very ordinary indeed. The fact that a 7YO mare could start so short, beat another mare who had never won past a mile, with an 8YO third and another mare, Sky Cuddle, who also had never won past a mile, in 4th spot really puts things in perspective. People were seriously giving chances to non-G1 winners, Lad Of The Manor (a 6YO) and Confectioner. The fact they ran 5th and 6th underlines my point. Can you imagine what the four or five year old Sunline would have done out there on Saturday? It would have been a procession. Northerly would have toyed with them, too. Where are the top class 4YOs? Xcellent came into the race with strong credentials but his chance got killed off with the rain. The only other 4YOs were Outback Prince (2nd last) and Lotteria.

As I said, objectivity is the key. Makybe Diva's performance was terrific and will live in the memory long past when people can remember who she beat.

And being objective, if she goes to the Melbourne Cup then she probably races against a stronger field with the likes of Railings, Vinnie Roe, Leica Falcon, Eye Popper and Mr Celebrity not to mention others to contend with. Let's all hope that connections turn up on the 1st Tuesday in November complete with red, white and blue eye masks to watch their mighty mare start favourite and go for an unprecedented 3rd win in the race.

By the way. You'd have been pretty chuffed yesterday if you owned the mare, Terrestial. Not. She's the dam of both Outback Prince and Hotel Grand. They finished 2nd last and last respectively.