The 2017 Ladbrokes Cox Plate barrier draw has been completed and Winx will jump from barrier six in the Group 1 event at The Valley this afternoon.
Winx will jump from barrier six in the 2017 Ladbrokes Cox Plate at The Valley on Saturday. Photo by: Steve Hart
Co-owner Peter Tighe had the choice of barrier one, barrier six, barrier seven, barrier eight or barrier nine when it was time to select a gate and he had no hesitation putting Winx in barrier six.
“I am just doing what I am told,” Tighe said at the barrier six.
“I think my friend Hugh Bowman will be happy with that – we talked about putting her in somewhat out there.”
Bowman rode Winx in her final trackwork gallop during Breakfast With The Best at The Valley this morning and he couldn’t have been happier with the star mare.
Barrier six gives Bowman the opportunity to stay out of trouble on Winx in the Ladbrokes Cox Plate and he has plenty of confidence in the Street Cry mare, but he said he still has respect for the rest of the 2017 Ladbrokes Cox Plate field.
“I am not going to fall into the trap of not having a healthy respect for my rivals,” Bowman said.
“It is a horse race and anything can happen.
“No doubt through my mind over the next few days will be all sorts of scenarios.
“I haven’t given it much thought at all, but now we have the full field and the barrier draw there is no doubt that I will run through the scenarios in my own brain.
“I will probably wake up in the middle of the night and be thinking about it.
“I just have so much confidence in her.
“She is a supreme athlete.
“As confident as I am, I am very careful not to be overly confident and I will treat it like any other race.
“The reality is that I want to stay out of trouble, I want clear room and I’ll be doing my best to make that happen.”
The other 2017 Ladbrokes Cox Plate barrier draws are: Seaburge (barrier one), Kaspersky (barrier two), Hardham (barrier three), Gailo Chop (barrier four), Folkswood (barrier five), Royal Symphony (barrier seven), Humidor (barrier eight) and Happy Clapper (barrier nine).
