Godolphin’s Newmarket trainer Charlie Appleby is keen to be a part of the Winx phenomenon when with his charge Folkswood lining up against the super star in the Group 1 $3m Ladbrokes Cox Plate (2040m) at The Valley on Saturday.
The Charlie Appleby trained Folkswood will line up against Winx, above, in the Ladbrokes Cox Plate at The Valley. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.
The Chris Waller trained Winx is chasing her third successive win in the Ladbrokes Cox Plate and her twenty-second straight victory while Folkswood is coming off a last start win in the Listed $300,000 Cranbourne Cup (2025m) at Cranbourne on October 15.
“We know there is a huge mountain in front of us now, but at the same time, we feel it is a great honour to participate against the wonder mare,” Appleby said from his Newmarket (UK) base.
“Being among her rivals, we are all on the same page, but as Hugh Bowman (Winx’s jockey) said, at the end of the day it is a horse race.
“I am happy with the draw, and I am very pleased the way Folkswood has come out of his Cranbourne experience.”
“He has pleased our team down at Werribee.’
“It is a big challenge to be coming up against Winx, but Folkswood is an improving young horse, who deserves his chance to be running in a race such as the Cox Plate.”
Cranbourne Cup winning jockey Kerrin McEvoy takes the mount again on Folkswood who has drawn barrier five in the nine horse Ladbrokes Cox Plate field.
Sydney’s leading Group 1 winning jockey Hugh Bowman is Winx’s regular rider and will be in the saddle again in the Ladbrokes Cox Plate and the mighty mare should be able to get a trouble free run from barrier six.
Following two heart stopping wins at the beginning of her Spring Carnival campaign in the Group 2 $250,000 Warwick Stakes (1400m) and in the Group 2 $250,000 Tattersalls Club Chelmsford Stakes (1600m) both at Randwick, Winx was able to add to her Group 1 winning tally with a convincing win in the Group 1 $500,000 Colgate Optic White Stakes (George Main Stakes) (1600m) at Randwick on September 16.
The Queen Of The Australian Turf then took her Group 1 winning record to fourteen with a runaway win in the Group 1 $500,000 Seppelt Turnbull Stakes (2000m) at Flemington on October 7 and in the process extended her winning sequence to twenty-one.
Betting for the Ladbrokes Cox Plate at Ladbrokes.com.au has Winx unbeatable at $1.16 while Folkswood is marked at $20 to cause a major boilover.
