The best weight-for-age race in Australia is coined the best two minutes in sport for a very good reason.
Have you ever seen a “bad” edition of the Cox Plate?
No way in hell.
But some years are just better than others. We’ve seen everything from demolition jobs to thrillers since the turn of the century, so let’s dive in and look at our top 5.
- 2009 So You Think
In just his 5th career start, So You Think won the Cox Plate as a three-year-old.
He was just better than them.
Ridden arrogantly by a lightly weighted Glen Boss, So You Think cruised to the front of the pack and essentially ed all the way to put lengths on them.
It was Bart Cummings’ 4th victory in the great race, and you could argue that the good-looking son of High Chaparral was his best ever horse.
- 2019 Lys Gracieux
When the Japanese send their horses to Australian shores for our majors, take note.
The 2019 Japanese Horse of the Year was a special mare, and really made a mess of the Cox Plate field.
Damian lane took her 6-wide round the Valley turn and probably could’ve gone wider. She put away a brave Castelvecchio by a couple lengths.
- 2005 Makybe Diva
Whilst Australia’s sweetheart is clearly famous for her 3 Melbourne Cup wins on the trot, she also won our greatest weight-for-age race in 2005.
She also won 5 other Group 1’s that year. Unbelievable.
The great man Glen Boss was her pilot and took her wide like she was the best horse in the race.
And that she was.
- 2000 Sunline
The great mare won the Cox Plate back-to-back in 2000 and 2001.
She won it in the millennium year by 7 lengths. Not much else needs to be said, just watch the race.
- 2016 Winx
To be honest, all the Mighty Mare’s wins could have been in this top 5 list, but we can’t give her all the spotlight!
Whilst her win in 2015 was special, the 2016 victory to defend her title was probably her best performance.
She put 8 lengths on a Cox Plate field! Absolutely unbelievable.
Doubt we will ever see the likes of it again.