2013 Cox Plate form has five top chances able to win the Group 1 $3m Sportingbet Cox Plate (2040m) at Moonee Valley today according to champion jockey Glen Boss.
Glen Boss won't be riding Puissance De Lune, but thinks he is the one beat in the Cox Plate. Photo by Taron Clarke.
The Grand Slam winning jockey has done his Cox Plate form and has come up with his top five selections – Puissance De Lune, Fiorente, It’s A Dundeel, Happy Trails and Super Cool.
Boss will be looking on from the sidelines because of a careless riding suspension he received on Caulfield Cup day and would have been riding the 2013 Cox Plate second favourite Puissance De Lune and thinks he is the one to beat.
Ben Melham was called in to replace Boss and is hoping he gets the same result as when he substituted for the suspended Luke Nolen on the all-conquering Black Caviar before she took out her first Group 1 Patinack Farm Classic (1200m) at Flemington, her ninth win in her incredible career that saw her undefeated from twenty-five starts.
Boss, who has ridden three Cox Plate winners, Makybe Diva (2005), So You Think (2009) and last year on Ocean Park, knows what it takes to win the tough Weight-For-Age Championship Of Australasia.
Boss has been on board Puissance De Lune at his last seven starts and said that he would be cheering loud for Melham and the whole Darren Weir team.
“I’ll be cheering for the big grey horse and for Ben,” Boss told The Daily Telegraph.
“If Puissance De Lune wins, I’ll be so happy for ‘Weiry’ and the owners.”
“I wish I was riding him today but listen, I haven’t lost a leg or anything.
“The suspension is not a big deal, it’s the swings and roundabouts in racing.
Puissance De Lune does most of his work at Warrnambool, including plenty of beach work, but trainer Darren Weir brought the big grey to Moonee Valley for solid work out last Thursday week for Boss to ride.
“I rode the horse in his gallop at Moonee Valley last Thursday and for the first time this preparation, when I looked at him he was 100 per cent fit,” Boss said,.
“His next two runs – the Cox Plate and the Melbourne Cup – will be his best.”
Puissance De Lune has had four runs leading up to 2013 Cox Plate and his form has been first class expect for one unplaced run when seventh to It’s A Dundeel in the Group 1 $400,000 Hyland Race Colours Underwood Stakes (1800m) at Caulfield on September 21.
Boss blamed a bad barrier and a slowly run race as the reasons for the six year old finishing out of a place for the first time in the last seven starts.
Puissance De Lune won the Group 2 $220,000 Back To Caulfield P.B. Lawrence Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on August 17 at his first run in the Spring then went down to Foreteller by a nose in the Group 1 $350,000 Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) at Flemington on September 7.
Then after the Underwood he bounced back to form and was hailed the winner before Happy Trails burst through to grab him on the line in the Group 1 $500,000 Turnbull Stakes (2000m) at Flemington on October 5.
“I’m pretty confident he can win, the horse is ready to explode today,” Boss said.
Boss also gives his reasons why for Fiorente, It’s A Dundeel, Happy Trails and Super Cool can win.
“Happy Trails can win because his is so good and he is going better now than last year,” Boss said.
“Fiorente can certainly win, he’s a very good horse, and obviously the favourite It’s A Dundeel, and the ‘big sleeper’ in the race is Super Cool.
“The softer ground at the Valley will really help – Super Cool is way over the odds for mine.”
Kiwi four year old It’s A Dundeel remains the favourite at $4.50 after some excellent Cox Plate lead up form while Puissance De Lune holds his spot on the second line of betting at $5.50.
The Gai Waterhouse trained Fiorente and Caulfield Guineas winner Long John share the $7 line with Happy Trails at $12 and Super Cool at the good odds of $21.
