Samantha (hit or) Miss?
October 24th 2008 07:48
Samantha Miss is the talking point of the 2008 Cox Plate.
Only one filly has been good enough to win the Cox Plate in the history of the race. But not only has it been a wasteland of success for fillies - but even more mature mares have an ordinary record, with only five individual mares having success.
(photo: getty images)
One of these was Dane Ripper in 1997 at long odds (40/1), and she is more remembered today for the brilliant ride by Damian Oliver who found a shortcut home.
But she may be the anomaly. The other mares to have success in this race are included in the pantheon of some of the greatest mares ever to grace a racetrack:
Tranquil Star won the Cox Plate in 1942 and 1944. Flight would win two Cox Plates, in 1945 and then 1946. Following two years after Dane Rippers surprise victory, it is another champion mare in Sunline who repeats the deeds of the war years champions, and wins consecutive Cox Plates in 1999 and 2000.
And then there was Makybe Diva. Although Makybe Diva would only win the single Cox Plate in 2005, she is regarded as perhaps the greatest mare of all time.
So what do we learn from history?
That only one filly has been successful - and such a mighty filly at that. Surround blossomed after a Winter in Queensland and returned to Melbourne to win at weight-for-age against open company as well as win a Caulfield Guineas.
And we learn that even as older and mature - it takes the very best (in almost all cases) female to win a Cox Plate.
Glenn Boss has undertaken a spartan regime of diet and exercise to get his weight down to the 47.5 kg that a 3 year old filly is allotted to carry. With a weather prediction of 30C dehydration will be a factor. The constant wasting and dehydration is another healthy hazard endured by jockeys. Kidney stones and kidney disease are a prevalent (poor) health outcome suffered by many jockeys. He deems his deprivation worth the effort. Boss is a true believer in the filly.
Samantha Miss is considered a certainty to win by some - and given little hope by others. She has beaten a merry-go-round of the same fillies in Sydney - and these same fillies have failed to step up when since tested in Melbourne (even in their own restricted age group). Even in this less than vintage year, Samantha Miss will need to be as good as her reputation - rather than her record - to win a Cox Plate.
Perhaps after this she will be the emerging star of the turf and this Cox Plate a launching pad? But usually the Cox Plate is reward for consistent effort at this highest level. It is not a reward on the climb up the mountain - it is the prize at the pinnacle. The last two years have been won by Cox Plate warriors in Fields Of Omagh and El Segundo. And not so long ago the irrepressible Northerly was bulldog and twice champion.
The only horse to not fit this mould (this century so far) is the 3 year old colt, Savabeel, who won in 2004 - with Chris Munce on a similar (but not quite as onerous) regime to make the light weight. A rising star, he hit his pinnacle early in a Cox Plate, then never recaptured such heroic status ever again. He now stands at stud in New Zealand.
Experts are divided from bookmaker to trainer.
"The money for Samantha Miss has been consistent but we can't lay Princess Coup. I would say Samantha Miss is going to start a significant favourite come race day." - Michael Sullivan, Sportingbet.
"She is a superstar. I don't know about the Cox Plate but she's a big, strong filly and keeps winning like a champion against her own age. She's certainly the best filly of this season." - Bart Cummings.
Another champion year old filly, Miss Finland, tried to win the 2006 Cox Plate:
Only one filly has been good enough to win the Cox Plate in the history of the race. But not only has it been a wasteland of success for fillies - but even more mature mares have an ordinary record, with only five individual mares having success.
Samantha Miss winning the Champagne Stakes
(photo: getty images)
One of these was Dane Ripper in 1997 at long odds (40/1), and she is more remembered today for the brilliant ride by Damian Oliver who found a shortcut home.
But she may be the anomaly. The other mares to have success in this race are included in the pantheon of some of the greatest mares ever to grace a racetrack:
Tranquil Star won the Cox Plate in 1942 and 1944. Flight would win two Cox Plates, in 1945 and then 1946. Following two years after Dane Rippers surprise victory, it is another champion mare in Sunline who repeats the deeds of the war years champions, and wins consecutive Cox Plates in 1999 and 2000.
And then there was Makybe Diva. Although Makybe Diva would only win the single Cox Plate in 2005, she is regarded as perhaps the greatest mare of all time.
So what do we learn from history?
That only one filly has been successful - and such a mighty filly at that. Surround blossomed after a Winter in Queensland and returned to Melbourne to win at weight-for-age against open company as well as win a Caulfield Guineas.
And we learn that even as older and mature - it takes the very best (in almost all cases) female to win a Cox Plate.
Glenn Boss has undertaken a spartan regime of diet and exercise to get his weight down to the 47.5 kg that a 3 year old filly is allotted to carry. With a weather prediction of 30C dehydration will be a factor. The constant wasting and dehydration is another healthy hazard endured by jockeys. Kidney stones and kidney disease are a prevalent (poor) health outcome suffered by many jockeys. He deems his deprivation worth the effort. Boss is a true believer in the filly.
Samantha Miss is considered a certainty to win by some - and given little hope by others. She has beaten a merry-go-round of the same fillies in Sydney - and these same fillies have failed to step up when since tested in Melbourne (even in their own restricted age group). Even in this less than vintage year, Samantha Miss will need to be as good as her reputation - rather than her record - to win a Cox Plate.
Perhaps after this she will be the emerging star of the turf and this Cox Plate a launching pad? But usually the Cox Plate is reward for consistent effort at this highest level. It is not a reward on the climb up the mountain - it is the prize at the pinnacle. The last two years have been won by Cox Plate warriors in Fields Of Omagh and El Segundo. And not so long ago the irrepressible Northerly was bulldog and twice champion.
The only horse to not fit this mould (this century so far) is the 3 year old colt, Savabeel, who won in 2004 - with Chris Munce on a similar (but not quite as onerous) regime to make the light weight. A rising star, he hit his pinnacle early in a Cox Plate, then never recaptured such heroic status ever again. He now stands at stud in New Zealand.
Experts are divided from bookmaker to trainer.
"The money for Samantha Miss has been consistent but we can't lay Princess Coup. I would say Samantha Miss is going to start a significant favourite come race day." - Michael Sullivan, Sportingbet.
"She is a superstar. I don't know about the Cox Plate but she's a big, strong filly and keeps winning like a champion against her own age. She's certainly the best filly of this season." - Bart Cummings.
Another champion year old filly, Miss Finland, tried to win the 2006 Cox Plate:
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