The Ladbrokes Cox Plate rightly carries the attachment as “Legendary.” The weight-for-age championship of the southern hemisphere, the greatest two minutes in sport, and loads more all get rolled out in generalisations but nonetheless worthy nods to a race that showcases the best equine talent of its season. Only good horses win it and plenty of good ones don’t. An argument will always exist, if nothing more than bar room banter or data-based supposedly intellectual deep diving, into who has been the best, and that too keeps the intrigue of the Cox Plate bubbling endlessly, but of course, there is no definitive answer. What is without dispute is that the 1986 edition was – not just the race of the century, but the race of Cox Plate history as Bonecrusher raced into equine immortality, photo-finishing out Our Waverley Star in a lastman-standing slugfest. And what is also without question is that the 1992 field of 14 not only brought together the best line-up ever to be assembled, but that they provided the most dramatic of stories to defy script and billing. The Valley and its Cox Plate Day Colosseum atmosphere lends itself to such fabulous theatre. And like any big show, it needs its stars. But here we had a bevy of leading actors as well as an actress. There were no supporting roles required in this feature – 13 of the 14 that went to battle were group 1 winners. Collectively, the squad of 14 had won a record (at the time) $28m in prizemoney going into it. By Bruce Clark Super Impose (left) charges past Let’s Elope (white cap) who tightens Better Loosen Up, which in turn gives Kinjite and Prince Salieri the shorten up 1992 – SUPER IMPOSE Memories of the W.S. Cox Plate
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