MV On Track 2018

4 ON TRACK MAGAZINE LETTER FROM THE EDITOR Welcome to the 2018 edition of the On Track Magazine. What a time to be alive! We are now just weeks away from the biggest Ladbrokes Cox Plate Carnival the Moonee Valley Racing Club has ever witnessed and are on the cusp of a seminal moment in the 98 editions of the W.S. Cox Plate. The wonder mare, the world’s best racehorse in Winx, is set to defend her three Cox Plate crowns and return to The Valley on October 27 to do something that has never been done before – win a fourth. After her 2017 win, a moment many punters and racing aficionados have declared to be the best day ever experienced trackside, never in our wildest dreams did we think she would return in 2018. But, oh my, how glad we are that she is. The Winx story is one that has captivated a nation and has had the racing world gushing as to how this supreme equine athlete can achieve such a remarkable winning streak. In this edition of On Track we have sourced a man that now knows the Winx story better than anyone, author of the authorised biography Winx , Andrew Rule. Rule provides us with a fascinating insight into the now seven-year-old mare and has a way with words that just leaves you wanting to read more – in a word – enjoy! To appreciate the present, one often needs to look back at the past and one man that knows what it takes to win a W.S. Cox Plate, and a Manikato Stakes mind you, is the captivating and affable trainer Tony McEvoy. Michael Lynch dives into McEvoy’s past exploits in our legendary race with his iron-horse Fields of Omagh and seeks to find out what makes The Valley such a happy hunting ground for him, where he will return in 2018 with crack sprinter Hey Doc who is back to defend his Ladbrokes Manikato Stakes crown. While superstar hoop Glen Boss is now based in Singapore, his legendary achievements at The Valley, which includes three W.S. Cox Plate wins, continues to be spoken about with adoring praise. Boss was someone that just loved riding at the track and it showed, navigating the tight turns and short straight like he was a local enjoying a Sunday drive. But the boy from Caboolture’s story started far from the amphitheatre track at Moonee Ponds and is a fascinating read. Time flies and it was a day I personally will never forget, when 20 years ago, the ‘earth started to rumble’ and Might and Power and Jimmy Cassidy combined to take out the 1998 Cox Plate and complete the grand slam of Spring Racing Carnival features. What a majestical and ultimately powerful animal he was and the connection Jimmy had with the horse is something you can still see impacts him today. A bumper edition is topped off with an insight into the new Queen of The Valley, rising star apprentice Stephanie Thornton, we track the story of bargain buy and Valley specialist Widgee Turf and we share all the latest news around the Club, including our community initiatives and Master Plan updates. We hope you enjoy this edition as much as we did in putting it together and can’t wait to see you trackside at The Valley in what will be season we will be talking about for a long time to come. Alastair Dwyer Moonee Valley Racing Club