Highalnd Reel couldn’t make it two-in-a-row Down Under as the Aidan O’Brien trained colt finished an honourable third behind Winx in the William Hill Cox Plate at Moonee Valley.
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“I could sense she was travelling well and it was a case of keeping going”, Waller said.
David Hayes says Criterion has produced an outstanding Melbourne Cup trial with his second placing in the Cox Plate.
Jockey Hugh Bowman was full of praise for those involved after riding Winx to victory.
“I am so thankful to Chris Waller and the connections of the horse, but also to my family and friends that are here and my two little girls at home”. But when they put the prize money for the Epsom Handicap up to a million dollars we chose to go there and the plan changed.
Despite the brilliance of that win, the Cox Plate was not on the radar with Waller planning a spring campaign aimed at the Myer Classic for mares. That gave us the confidence that she could win a race like this.
In New Zealand, the postponed NZ$200,000 Windsor Park Plate (NZ-I) was finally run at Trentham October. I’ve got a big week at Flemington coming up.
Waller rose to prominence with the support of Bob Ingham after the businessman sold the racing and breeding concern he set up with his late brother Jack to Sheikh Mohammed and bought a couple of dozen young horses to race.
Walker said he was working up on the inside of Winx and going just as well when he was forced to ease.
“It is so exciting”.
“I didn’t want it for another 200 metres and it was a long way up that straight and it is a very humbling feeling, I am very privileged and very proud”. He had won the Cups double in 1997, and in 1998 became the first Melbourne Cup victor since Phar Lap in 1931 to come back the following year and win the Cox Plate.
Pornichet was a $61 outsider in Saturday’s race but Waterhouse said the imported horse showed he deserved to be there with his performance to finish fourth, although the champion trainer conceded Winx was dominant.
There were few hard-luck stories in the race with Michael Walker saying Criterion was crowded by the victor but stewards said Bowman was entitled to take the run on the mare.
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“You don’t mind being beaten by something that good”, Bester said.
