MV On Track 2018

46 ON TRACK MAGAZINE Cox Plate legends figured prominently among the recent 2018 Australian Racing Hall of Fame inductees held at Sydney’s black-tie function in May. The evening belonged to the esteemed Hayes racing dynasty, as the late three-time W.S. Cox Plate winning trainer Colin Hayes was elevated to Legend status. Hayes trained back-to-back winners of the Weight-For-Age classic in 1978-79 when So Called and Dulcify both saluted under Brent Thomson, while 10 years later the imported Almaarad made him the fourth most successful trainer in the race’s 97-year history. Hayes’ feats in The Valley’s premier event stands him in good company – of the eight legends who now reside as legends of the turf whether it be trainers, jockeys or horses – seven of them have tasted Cox Plate success. While the rise of Chris Waller and his wonder mare Winx shows no signs of slowing down, Waller joined his superstar mare on the honour roll following the three-time W.S. Cox Plate’s champions induction in 2017. The kiwi horseman who has won seven consecutive Sydney premierships has saddled up 84 Group 1 winners and over 2000 winners. An unprecedented fourth Cox Plate would certainly go down as one of his biggest and most satisfying training achievement if the mare was to achieve success in the 2018 Ladbrokes Cox Plate. The man most famous for his association with the only other three-time winner of the W.S. Cox Plate, Kingston Town, in champion hoop and colourful character Malcolm Johnston was also inducted. His 1980 win at The Valley was the first of ‘The King’s’ trilogy, while suspension would cause him to miss the ride in the following years despite having ridden Kingston Town to 25 of his 30 race wins. The Australian Racing Hall of Fame also paid tribute to the 1962 W.S. Cox Plate winner Aquanita. The Western Australian turf star was transferred to Victorian trainer Roy Shaw, with his win at The Valley the highlight of his 28 career wins. The MVRC congratulates these 2018 Australian Hall of Fame inductees. AUSTRALIAN RACING HALL OF FAME INDUCT COX PLATE LEGENDS