Ladbrokes Cox Plate (Group 1)
ANDREA Leek became just the third woman to train a Cox Plate winner following Cosmic Crusader’s victory in Saturday’s A$6 million Group 1 over 2,040 metres held at Flemington during Moonee Valley’s redevelopment.
“A miracle,” remarked an elated Leek. “He’s just an iron horse. What a champion. What a ride by Willie Pike. Thanks to the Peters family for giving him to me and trusting me. I said before, I feel like I’m an imposter.
“To step in and have a horse like this in the early stages of my career, I’m very lucky. I couldn’t be happier. He’s an amazing horse. I said to (owner) Bob (Peters) this morning that I think I had him a little bit flat for the Caulfield Cup (fourth) and may have done too much on the Tuesday. I knew going into today I had him cherry-ripe. I was praying for rain, but we didn’t get it. He was still too good.”
Pace on
On settling, Light Infantry Man and then Land Legend, swept up to the head of the race to make it a true test. With the pace on, Willie Pike aboard Cosmic Crusader was on a long rein, third last in the 12-horse field.
On the back of the race favourite Aeliana at the 800-metre mark, he used James McDonald as his cue, following the pair through the bend before peeling out as the widest runner. Held up momentarily in traffic, closer to the fence, Birdman was also making moves through the field to hit the front 150 metres out just as Aeliana was peaking on her run.
Surging to the line, the Maurice gelding Cosmic Crusader caught Birdman 50 metres to the line to defeat the Free Eagle gelding by almost a length, with the Castelvecchio mare Aeliana holding onto third.
“I don’t ever dream of winning these races, because it’s always too far to reach,” said Willie Pike. “I left last week a little disappointed, but he’s backed up and he’s turned up.
“He’s come off their backs and I knew I was a chance. I rode better, I was calmer through the first half to the top of the straight, and he was strong through the line.”
Style of training
Sent to Leek by Western Australia’s most influential owner and breeder Bob Peters for the spring, Peters’ choice was based on the former jumps jockey’s rural property, rolling hills and style of training.
“I’ve got to thank Andrea and (work rider) Luca (Remondet) for the way they’ve handled the horse,” said Peters. “I talk to her just about every day and work out his work, and she’s done exactly what I’ve asked her to do all the way along, and it’s been a pleasure to deal with her.
“And it’s great to do it with William (Pike) as well. We’ve been together since he was about 16, and I feel really good that he’s achieved something he wanted to achieve as well.”
In seven group starts for Leek, beginning with his Bletchingly Stakes victory in late July, Cosmic Crusader has won four and placed twice earning over $5.31 million in stakes, lifting his record to 12 wins from 24 starts and seven placings for the six-year-old. A start on November 7th in the Group 1 Champions Stakes over 2,000 metres on the final day of the Melbourne Cup carnival has not been ruled out.
THE Ciaron Maher stable dominated Saturday’s Moonee Valley Gold Cup over 2,500 metres at Flemington to confirm another Melbourne Cup runner, the Irish-bred Belardo gelding Juja Kibo, who started twice for Richard O’Brien before being sold, in the last of 10 races that carry ballot-free exemption for the Melbourne Cup.
The Joseph O’Brien-trained Kizlyar took up the early running before handing up to Aethelwulf. As the pace eased mid-way, the Maher runners Juja Kibo and Kings Valley were at the tail. Kizlyar looked perfectly placed approaching the bend, but was quickly under pressure on straightening as the swoopers began to loom into the race.
The Territories gelding Kings Valley made a mighty run from last failing by a half-length to catch Juja Kibo, with their stablemate Mr Monaco, also a Territories gelding, three-quarters of a length off the winner. Kizlyar finished 11th, four lengths from the winner.
“He (Juja Kibo) was fantastic,” said Ciaron Maher. “To come off a slow speed and show such a good turn of foot, carrying a decent amount of weight, it was a pretty good win. Kings Valley was back there as well, and I thought he was no chance.
“He was a bit unlucky in a Caulfield Cup not to be fighting out the finish, so he’s running into form and Jabez (Johnstone) and Mr Monaco, that was a nice tickover for next Tuesday.”
FOLLOWING Monday’s third declarations for this year’s Melbourne Cup, 39 horses were still in contention for Tuesday’s A$10.2 million handicap over 3,200 metres - the final field for which will be settled late Saturday afternoon, just prior to the barrier draw.
Currently, Joseph O’Brien looks likely to have five starters, two of which, Trustyourinstinct (to be ridden by James McDonald) and Defiantly (Dylan Browne McMonagle) are the second and third favourites at $8 and $11 respectively.
Sons And Lovers (Ryan Moore), Goodie Two Shoes (Wayne Lordan) and James J Braddock (Craig Williams) complete the O’Brien hand, whilst Kizlyar (26th in the order of entry), Small Fry (33th) and Omni Man (34th) are outside chances to make the field.
Favourite for the race is the ex-British Point Of Law, who won the Geelong Cup.
The Frankel colt makes up one of Ciaron Maher’s eight horses within the field of 24 which, if that stands on Tuesday, would be a record for any trainer, bettering the previous held by Robert Hickmont, who had six starters for Lloyd Williams.
Moet & Chandon Spring
Champion Stakes (Group 1)
THE David Payne-trained Proxima Dea has remained unbeaten after five starts to claim her maiden Group 1 victory in Saturday’s Spring Champion Stakes for three-year-olds over Randwick’s 2,000 metres.
Ridden positively from the widest gate, Zac Lloyd was able to give Proxima Dea the run of the race in the nine-horse field. Sitting on the hip of the leading Cormier as they stretched the field out, Lloyd tracked Cormier through the bend before getting serious on Proxima Dea.
Hitting the front inside the final 300 metres, Lloyd kept Proxima Dea focused as the Tarzino filly ran smoothly through the line to win by almost two lengths. The Pinatubo filly Global Goal ran on well to just snatch second from the Maurice colt Cormier.
Heart and class
“To look at her you wouldn’t give much for her, but she seems to have everything; guts, heart and class,” said David Payne. “I said to Zac that she’ll outstay them, but we can’t have a sit and sprint. I told him, ‘If nothing goes, you go, get up outside the leader and go early on her’. We know it’s the further, the better with this filly.
“She can go to the Oaks now. The extra 500 metres won’t be a problem, she will love it and we can give her an easier ride. This filly keeps surprising me. Montefilia was a good filly, but I think she stays better than Montefilia (who won the 2020 Spring Champion Stakes).”
Offered at the Inglis Easter Yearling Sale where Ciaron Maher Bloodstock paid A$300,000 for her but later struggled to sell shares, Proxima Dea’s breeders took her back to race themselves, taking home a $1.155 million stakes winner’s cheque on Saturday.