Invites Go Out For A Date With Winx At Moonee Valley
The Moonee Valley Racing Club has revealed their shortlist of 13 international invitees to a date with Winx in the 2000m A$5 million Cox Plate.
They are looking to find horses from abroad to challenge the Chris Waller's superstar mare, Winx.
Leading the invite list, stable-wise, is superstar Coolmore trainer Aidan O'Brien, who won the Cox Plate in 2014 with Adelaide.
In 2018, the MVRC has invited Saxon Warrior, Mendelssohn and Lancaster Bomber from the O'Brien camp. Saxon Warrior has already banked two Group 1 successes despite being beaten as favourite in last weekend's Epsom Derby.
However, when it comes to invites by country, O'Brien's Irish contingent is trumped by the four sent to Japan - Almond Eye (Sakai Kunieda), Epoca D'Oro (Hideaki Fujinara), Mozu Ascot (Yoshito Yahagi) and Persian Knight (Yasutoshi Ikee).
Coming in with two apiece are the UK (two-time G1 winner Cracksman and Poet's Word) and the UAE - naturally, both from the Saeed bin Suroor stable - with Dubai Turf winner Benbatl and Dubai Gold Cup winner Thunder Snow.
Only one female equine is among the 13 invited to tackle the world's best racehorse that is filly Almond Eye. She is joined by fellow northern hemisphere three year olds Mendelssohn and Saxon Warrior on the invite list.
Leading the charge are Cracksman and Thunder Snow with three each, while the elder statesman of the baker's dozen - Poet's Word - is the only horse of the group yet to prevail at the highest level.
Credit: Ritesh Jamkhedkar- Ritesh.Jamkhedkar@secretariatsworld.com