- Hong Kong horse Romantic Warrior wins Cox Plate
- Surged to win at the end
- Pipped Mr Brightside and Alligator Blood
James McDonald has claimed one of the most thrilling Cox Plate titles in history after lunging home on Danny Shum-trained champion Romantic Warrior.
It was a furious finish down the straight as Mr Brightside tried to hold out the late surge from Pre-face favourite Romantic Warrior and Alligator Blood.
It was a photo finish, but the Hong Kong product Romantic Warrior won by a nose.
‘This means so much. I have so many faith in this horse and oh my god. I thought we got beat,’ an emotional McDonald said after the race.
‘When the camera didn’t follow me, and I just went… I can’t say what I said.
‘I can’t believe we won the Cox Plate.’
Shum was just as emotional on the sideline, thanking all of his connections in Australia and Hong Kong.
‘I am very happy, I don’t know how to tell you how happy ament. I am very, very happy,’ he said.
‘It will be really big for the town, I want to thank Peter, James McDonald, all the team, all the Hong Kong fans, my wife Kristy and my son Aaron.
‘I was confident he would run a strong race.’
It was the final Cox Plate for veteran jockey Damien Oliver who finished fourth on Duais.
Veteran racecaller Bruce McAvaney said that McDonald’s win on Romantic Warrior was a changing of the guard.
‘I feel like the baton has been passed from Damien,’ he said.
‘Oliver to James McDonald today in many ways. Olly is the all-time great, we know that, but in many ways I think baton gets changed today, on the day that Olly rides in his 22nd Cox Plate and final Cox Plate, we, I think, recognise a genius here.’
MORE TO FOLLOW
Opie Bosson riding Imperatriz winning Race 8, the Ladbrokes Manikato Stakes, during Melbourne Racing at Moonee Valley Racecourse
Trainers Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott watch intently during race three at Mooney Valley
A bumper crowd turned out for the Cox Plate and full day of racing at Mooney Valley Racecourse
Trainer Mitchell Freedman poses with his daughter after Skybird won the 3 Point Motors Fillies Classic
It was another big weekend at Moonee Valley, with the 140th running of the Gold Cup taking place on Friday night, and the Manikato Stakes running directly before the Cox Plate with Imperatriz saluting.
2023 COX PLATE FIELD
- 1 – Romantic Warrior (barrier 7)
- 2 – Zaaki (12)3 – Mr Brightside (2)
- 4 – Alligator Blood (5)
- 5 – Gold Trip (8)
- 6 – My Oberon (4)
- 7 – Pinstriped (11)
- 8 – Fangirl (9)
- 9 – Duais (1)
- 10 – Victoria Road (6)
- 11 – Militarize (3)
- 12 – King Colorado (10)
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