Recently deceased Alister Simpson, a 1934 foal, and So You Think share top billing with Saturday’s Cox Plate, held for the last time in the Moonee Valley theatre that made it great.
A New Zealander, Simpson’s delicate touch, millions of fine lines, invigorated with colour, produced the outstanding equine art of our time, dating back to 1984 AJC Derby winner, Strawberry Road, followed by all the major horses and races. Brilliant scenes ranged from Royal Randwick and Keeneland in the United States to Nyngan in outback New South Wales.
No doubt So You Think, rated the best horse trained by Bart Cummings, came under his eye. Like Strawberry Road, So You Think features in the Cox Plate honour roll ending with restructuring of the course following the final running, race 10, on Saturday.
Over its 103-year history and 104 runnings, the Cox Plate has been Australia’s greatest race. Despite being run on what some call a goat track, it brought the best out of champions in an up-close-and-personal atmosphere that made it special.
Winners are so good I can’t place So You Think in the top 10. So You Think was successful in two of what has been Australia’s weight-for-age championships before taking on a more international vibe in recent editions.
Going back, in my time to 1959, the best without taking the invaders into consideration are Via Sistina, Winx, Makybe Diva, Sunline, Might And Power, Super Impose, Kingston Town, Tobin Bronze and Tulloch.
Sunline was another portrait perfectly captured by Simpson. We agreed on her magnificent hind quarter, movement and grace the like of which if female would be followed and pondered upon for a mile.
Simpson gifted me with the sketch he made before putting colour to the champion. Via Sistina is no Sunline, and has a slippery grip on her Cox Plate rating but scored so well last year and could make it two in a row on Saturday.
Due to odds consideration and being a little apprehensive about Chris Waller and James McDonald after Joliestar I am gambling against the mare.
The renowned Waller touch in taking targets, so evident with the champion Winx, took a belt with me, a bad loser, when Joliestar didn’t perform to expectations in The Everest at Randwick last Saturday.
With Via Sistina and J-Mac currently off the boil, at their best, Via Sistina ($2.25) will win. However, I favour Antino ($3.80) with Blake Shinn, who is making a difference.
Antino was second to the ill-fated Sir Delius in the Tancred at Flemington after being subjected to extreme demands due to circumstances rather than faulty navigation.
The Brisbane gelding beat Via Sistina home. Doing it tough is his caper, tactics suited to the extremes of Moonee Valley, take off at the school—recall Bonecrusher—where true grit comes into play.
However there is a link between So You Think and the only three-year-old, Nepotism, in the Championship on Saturday. Both were defeated in the Caulfield Guineas.
So You Think, a roarer with an early wind infirmity, was wayward when 4.8 lengths back in the Caulfield Guineas before his first Cox Plate success. Note the Best Bets comment on Nepotism, who finished 4.36 lengths down in the corresponding sprint recently: “Went to the line under a light ride.”
Apart from the Cox Plate, Royal Randwick, with Tulloch Lodge again promising to be at the fore, more than matches Moonee Valley.
Peter V’Landys, the Mr Big of just about everything, is winning the battle to take the gloss of the Melbourne Spring but is racing the winner?
Gai Waterhouse now in partnership with Adrian Bott will be out to add to her four Spring Champions tally with Shangri La Boy and Champagne Hero on Saturday. Waterhouse has a Simpson collection. She decreed: “Alister is the top equine artist in the world”.
Ray Alexander, when Australian Jockey Club CEO, termed him as “the modern-day Martin Stainfoth”.
On canvas and paper Simpson rekindles memories but currently booming with me is the Cox Plate: of “Kingston Town can’t win”, the awesome demolition by Dulcify, the blood and guts battle between Bonecrusher and Our Waverley Star, the magnificence of Winx and Makybe Diva, high, wide and beautiful under the magnificent Glen Boss, who also showed how best to exploit the energy of So You Think.
Visions splendid. The roar at the turn is what makes me tingle.
But I won’t be at Moonee Valley having an engagement at Royal Randwick for the Callender – Presnell that could further the prediction of Michael being the greatest Freedman of them all.
Brother Lee Freedman won Cox Plates, particularly with Makybe Diva, and just about every other important Group one but he’s never taken a Callender- Presnell for which I am tipping Michael to achieve with Ohope.
Great to see you’re still writing, Max and still doing it in the style that is unmistakably you. I’ve been a fan of yours for many years and I’m sure I’ll also be a fan of your blog. Good on you! PS I’m still dirty on the fact they got Mel Gibson to play you in the movie instead of giving the role to you.
Best wishes, Bill.
Plenty in racing is unjust.
But having a Randwick feature named after Max Presnell is poetic justice. Enjoy it Max, richly deserved, and may you be presenting the trophy for many years to come.
G’day Max, yes Moonee Valley, quirkey in name and in person, indeed it is and has a special place in Australian racing. One the few places you could watch thoroughbreds during the day and standardbreds at night. As a sydneysider I only attempted the racing&trot double in person once and what a long day it was. Moonee Valley is without doubt the best track in Australia for atmosphere, it is a natural amphitheatre, a gift from the racing gods. My first trip there was to see Dulcify win in 1979 after seeing him win at Rosehill and the AJC Derby on protest. I went to sit in the Grand Stand at the Valley and was gobsmaked, I could see everything without my 10/50s and the noise as they hit the school was pure joy. Legends have been made at Moonee Valley and will continue long after our last bet and I salute those who have given us such great memories. Cheers Gary
Gary,
You’ve nailed it.
Cheers
Max P