Mr Brightside’s owners thought they’d won the Cox Plate but the photo told a different story

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Romantic Warrior claims Cox Plate in thrilling finish

Ben Hayes thought Mr Brightside had won, so too did his large group of owners. Instead, they felt the agony and ecstasy of racing within seconds.

“We just won the f—— Cox Plate,” one owner screamed in jubilation as he leapt into a throng of co-owners near the winner’s stalls.

But as white and black streamers, in the colours of Mr Brightside’s silks, were cast over the sold out crowd at Moonee Valley, the photo finish came up on the big screen, revealing Hong Kong champion Romantic Warrior had nosed out the local star for visiting trainer Danny Shum in the $5 million weight-for-age championship.

James McDonald returns to the mounting yard on Romantic Warrior.Credit: Racing Photos / Getty Images

One owner, Joe Molinaro, who bought into the horse while he was recovering from prostate cancer surgery, was in tears. Others were crestfallen, as if they had lost a grand final, their pain in defeat magnified by the mistaken belief of victory.

“God yeah,” Molinaro said. “All our friends, we thought we’d won. I probably overreacted but that’s a human thing.”

Shellshocked connections patted their gallant six-year-old upon his entry back to the runners-up stall, coming to terms with narrowly missing joining the honour roll of one of Australia’s most famous races. On the other side of the fence, Romantic Warrior was being paraded on the track with the winner’s rug on his back.

Sheer joy: Romantic Warrior’s trainer Danny Shum.Credit: Racing Photos / Getty Images

For jockey James McDonald, the victory marked back-to-back wins in the middle leg of Melbourne turf’s holy trinity after his win aboard Anamoe last year.

“This horse is pretty special to me,” McDonald said. “I mentioned if he came to a Cox Plate he’d be a suitable horse.

“I meant what I said and credit to Peter and Danny, it takes a hell of a lot of balls to come out of Hong Kong with all the prizemoney. It is one of the best racing jurisdictions in the world and they come here and showcase their boy.”

Romantic Warrior disappointed punters finishing fourth in the Turnbull Stakes, but Shum was confident he had improved fitness-wise out of the race, and McDonald rode him like the best horse, sitting one out one back in a steadily-run race.

King Coloardo led the field with Zaaki on his outside, but the three-year-old was one of the first gone, and Craigt Williams on Mr Brightside sensed it, getting off his back early enough after taking a cosy run on the fence throughout.

Williams then dashed up the fence, inside Zaaki and Alligator Blood, while Romantic Warrior went outside, and with shadows cast over the winning post, it appeared the Hayes family had won its first Cox Plate since Fields Of Omagh in 2006.

Instead, Romantic Warrior justified the build up and the faith held by McDonald, and delivered Shum his career highlight.

“It has big meaning for me as a trainer,” Shum said.

“It makes me happy. I’m more happy than I can tell you.”

Thirty-three years ago, David Hayes won a famous edition of the race with the world-class galloper Better Loosen Up in his first year after taking over from his father Colin Hayes.

Now, the next generation of the Hayes dynasty – the trio of Ben, JD and Will – were on the other end of the result.

Co-trainer Ben, watching from the grandstand, thought Mr Brightside had won, but the photo told a different story.

“Craig gave it a 10 out of 10 [ride],” Hayes said.

“A better horse on the day [won], unfortunately. We actually thought he’d won when he crossed the line, so it makes it a little bit worse. But he’s an absolute superstar. He’s ticked off that 2000 [metres], and we couldn’t be prouder of the horse.

“We’re pretty shattered.”

Asked whether Mr Brightside could head to Hong Kong in December and meet Romantic Warrior on his home turf, Hayes said: “I’d love a rematch, it was only a bob on the line.

Winning jockey James McDonald salutes the crowd.Credit: Racing Photos / Getty Images

“We’ll see how the horse is first, if he pulls up well, we could head there [to Hong Kong],” he said.

Alligator Blood finished third, with jockey Tim Clark saying the horse “went down fighting”.

Damien Oliver, in his final Cox Plate, had no luck late, finishing fourth on Duias.

“I had a beautiful run, just needed one more run to open up at the top of the straight and I think she would have been fighting out the finish, but it was a great effort,” Oliver said.

Similar could be said for Zac Purton aboard Fangirl, who settled back in the field but didn’t have a clean run.

“There wasn’t much we could do from the gate and she got to the line really well,” Purton said.

For Molinaro, who is in remission, and Mr Brightside’s connections, who share in the $750,000 runners-up cheque, they can already see the bright side.

“It’s fine, if it wasn’t for the cancer I wouldn’t be in Brightside,” Molinaro said.

“One per cent of an ownership is still 100 per cent of excitement.”

The fighting finish of the Cox Plate.Credit: Racing.com

Jockey left in awe after Imperatriz’s dominant win

Damien Ractliffe

Imperatriz was only 14 months old when Opie Bosson ran third in the Cox Plate aboard Te Akau Shark, statistically the best horse the champion New Zealand jockey has ever ridden on Timeform ratings.

But Bosson believes Imperatriz is now the best equine athlete he’s sat on, after she demolished a small but select Manikato Stakes field at Moonee Valley on Saturday.

In winning her two previous races at The Valley over 1000 metres, she settled at the rear and ran over the top of her rivals, breaking the track record on both occasions.

But on Saturday she jumped so well that Bosson decided to lead, riding her like Black Caviar in a race reminiscent of the undefeated champion’s 24th of 25 career wins in the 2013 William Reid Stakes.

In fact, Black Caviar raced seven times at Moonee Valley over 1200 metres – winning them all, of course – and only once she broke 1 minute and 10 seconds, recording 1.09.44 to claim the group 2 Australia Stakes in 2012.

Imperatriz clocked 1.09.59, just 15 hundredths of a second slower, underlining the motor under her bonnet.

Her victory on Saturday also gave her the triple crown of group 1 sprints at Moonee Valley in the one calendar year – the William Reid in March, the Moir Stakes a fortnight ago and the Manikato Stakes on Saturday – justifying Te Akau Racing’s decision to avoid sending her to Sydney for The Everest, despite numerous offers from slot holders.

She’ll now head to the Champions Sprint at Flemington on the final day of Cup week, where she might test herself against some of those horses who competed in The Everest.

The last horse to win the Manikato and the old Darley Sprint double was Buffering in 2013.

Asked whether she’s the best horse he’s ridden, Bosson said: “She is, by far.

“I’ve said it a million times, I’ve never ridden a horse that can just switch off and go back when you want it. More to come, I think.

“I don’t usually get too nervous but today I was ‘walking the box’ a bit this morning and didn’t want to talk too much.

“It got to me a little bit but she pulled me through it.”

Trainer Mark Walker said it wasn’t necessarily the plan to lead, but he left it up to the experienced Bosson to ride her.

“That’s the genius of Opie,” Walker said.

“She jumped so well so why take away what she had done. I think she had it in the bag a long way from home, really.”

Bosson said it would be a unique experience riding her up the Flemington straight in a fortnight’s time.

“I’ve never won a race in a straight line so we’ll both be first timers,” he quipped.

Prowess kicks in the straight to claim the mile

Andrew Wu
Co-trainer Robert Wellwood has earmarked next year’s Cox Plate for Prowess after her thrilling victory in the group 2 McCafe Crystal Mile.

Initially set for this year’s big race, the popular New Zealand mare missed a start after a setback earlier in her preparation, but her owners received a tidy $180,000 consolation prize.

Prowess, a four-year-old daughter of Proisir, kicked strongly in the straight to prevail in a three-way finish from the unlucky Antino and Tuvalu.

Prowess, with Mark Zahra in the saddle, was victorious.Credit: Racing Photos / Getty Images

Owner Dean Skipper and his 41-person group of co-owners, family and friends present at the Valley will never know how their horse would have fared in Saturday’s Cox Plate after she banged a hock in training. But they will be given a chance in Australia’s weight-for-age championship next year.

They will get an indication in a fortnight’s time how she will measure up to the top grade in the group 1 Champion Stakes at Flemington, a $3 million race which several of the Cox Plate field will likely back up in.

“In hindsight, the setbacks have been a blessing in disguise,” Wellwood said. “She’s developed, and come next year she’s going to be even bigger and stronger, she’s still pretty immature.”

Co-trainer Roger James trained Silent Achiever to victory in the Vase in 2012, two years before she ran third in the Cox Plate behind Adelaide.

“He’s always said they have similarities,” Wellwood said. “The spring before they struggled, hence why she ended up in the same race. It’d be terrific to be here and be going 440 m further.

“We’d love to think we can get here. We wanted to this year, she had a few little setbacks so that stopped us from that.”

Skybird soars in Fillies Classic

Damien Ractliffe

A fortnight after each winning their maiden group 1s in the Toorak Handicap with Attrition, trainer Mitch Freedman and jockey Beau Mertens again combined for a stellar win of the Fillies Classic at Moonee Valley with Skybird.

Mertens had to take his medicine and jag back to last from barrier 10, but produced the ride of the day to scrape the paint turning into the straight, and Skybird let down pierce her way to victory.

“Great ride,” Freedman said.

“He [Mertens] can’t do much wrong for us at the moment.

“How good to get a winner on Cox Plate Day. We did it four years ago and good to do it again.”

Skybird now shapes as one of the horses to beat in the Thousand Guineas, to be run at Caulfield on November 18, after it was moved to the back end of the carnival this spring in an attempt to extend punters’ interest in racing beyond Cup week.

Hayes weighs up Derby push for Apulia

Damien Ractliffe

Could Apulia run three weeks in a row and back up from his Vase win at Moonee Valley into next week’s Victoria Derby?

That’s what co-trainer Ben Hayes is contemplating given the ease of his win over 2040 metres.

He rounded up Verdad in the straight, who had made the running up front, and Hayes said the Fiorente colt appreciated backing up from last week’s Norman Robinson.

With dad David Hayes on course ahead of Mr Brightside’s Cox Plate tilt, Ben Hayes said Apulia couldn’t have been in better form.

“The horse was on his best behaviour,” Hayes quipped.

“He must have known the big boss was here today, as we all do. He got his manners perfect. When Dad’s around we have to be on our best behaviour.”

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