Straight Up – Champions served up on a Plate

In this edition:

The Cox Plate has had its fair share of slogans, both unofficial and official over the years. Out of the ‘Race Of the Century’ in 1986 (or 1992 depending on who you ask), came ‘the Valley of Champions’, the ‘greatest two minutes in sport’, ‘Australian Best Race’ and quite simply ‘Legendary’.

Certainly, it’s an honour board unmatched among any Australian race. From Phar Lap to Ajax to Flight, Rising Fast and Tulloch. Kingston Town’s famous treble was only surpassed by the extraordinary Winx and her four wins. In between we had Bonecrusher, Better Loosen Up, Super Impose, Might and Power, Sunline, Northerly, Makybe Diva and So You Think.

The Cox Plate will change forever after the 2025 edition. Where it will be held in 2026, we don’t yet know, with the Moonee Valley Race Club to make that decision in the coming months. In 2027, it is planned to be back at the Valley, but not as we know it, with the entire site redeveloped and the track rotated.

It’s a massive change, but it is one Michael Browell, MVRC’s CEO, has been preparing for the past 15 years. He spoke to Matt Stewart about the transformation from late 2015, when he was told Moonee Valley was slated to be shut down, to the current plans for the biggest transformation to a Melbourne racetrack in a generation.

The Valley of excitement

MVRC’s journey from despair to ambition

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The Cox Plate has become an international race, especially since Adelaide’s landmark win for Aidan O’Brien, a decade ago.

Prognosis is aiming to become Japan’s second winner of the race on Saturday, but after some digging, we have found that his background extends much further afield than the lush pastures of Hokkaido.

His dam, Velda, was foaled in Great Britain, raced in Italy and sold in France before going to Tunisia and Libya. In a remarkable turn of events, she then found her way to Japan. Jour De Galop’s Adrien Cugnasse helped us tell the story.

From Libya to Moonee Valley via Hokkaido

The extraordinary background of Cox Plate favourite Prognosis

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There is also Group 1 racing in Sydney on Saturday with the running of the Spring Champion Stakes. The race features three progeny by emerging sire D’Argento, who ran in a Cox Plate himself and is a son of the Cox Plate legend So You Think.

Warwick Barr caught up with John North, the former studmaster at Bowness Stud, about the grey stallion who is making giant strides early in his career.

We launched the first episode of our new podcast, Straight Talk, this week. Tim Rowe and myself talk breeze-up sales, Rosehill and Tabcorp’s move to a national tote. Have a listen and let us know at editor@thestraight.com.au what issues you want discussed.