Co-owner Nick Williams has declared that he would not swap Fawkner for any other horse in the 2014 Cox Plate field and he is thrilled with the condition of the Reset gelding heading into the Group 1 event at Moonee Valley on Saturday.
Nick Hall will have the chance to record a third Group 1 victory on Fawkner in the 2014 Cox Plate at Moonee Valley on Saturday. Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia
Fawkner started his 2014 Spring Racing Carnival campaign with a narrow defeat to Dissident in the Group 1 Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) at Flemington on September 13 before he stamped himself as a clear favourite for the Cox Plate with a second win at Group 1 level in the Caulfield Stakes (2000m) at Caulfield on October 11.
Williams said that the Cox Plate has always been the major 2014 Spring Racing Carnival goal for Fawkner and he believes that the seven-year-old has had an ideal preparation heading into the Australasian Weight-For-Age Championship this weekend.
“The horse is in perfect order and we couldn’t be happier,” Williams said at the Cox Plate barrier draw.
“It is the perfect Tuesday before the race, he is obviously the favourite for the race and we wouldn’t swap him for anything.
“The reality is that this is the best race in Australia and it takes some winning as we know very well having tried god knows how many times and never been able to pull it off.
“We targeted this as soon as his preparation was finished last spring, we said that the Cox Plate would be his aim.
“He hasn’t put a foot out of place, we made sure that he has had a bit of experience around the Valley.”
Fawkner was the big winner of the 2014 Cox Plate barrier draw that was held at Moonee Valley this morning and the tough gelding is set to receive a lovely run into the race from barrier four.
Williams said that he was pleased with the favourable barrier draw and he is confident that regular jockey Nick Hall, who steered Fawkner to his two previous victories at Group 1 level in the Caulfield Cup and Caulfield Stakes, will settle Fawkner in a favorable position in the early stages of the race.
“He is a very adaptable horse and Nick knows him backwards,” Williams said.
“Nick Hall gets on with him terribly well; after I’d drawn that barrier I thought that we had won the race, he was that excited.”
Fawkner is currently available at 2014 Cox Plate odds of $4 and he is a clear favourite with Ladbrokes from Sacred Falls ($6.50), Adelaide ($6.50) and Criterion ($8.50).
