Opinion
Trainer David Payne is not one to mince words; he openly calls his undefeated filly Proxima Dea ugly. But she might just be the ugliest beautiful horse in Australasia right now.
After she defied 33 years of history to lift herself off the canvas to capture the group 3 Gloaming Stakes last start, punters don’t care what she looks like. Nor does Payne.
What matters is her freakish will to win and a motor that’s custom built for Saturday’s $2 million group 1 Spring Champion Stakes at Royal Randwick.
The standard racing playbook says fillies don’t win the Gloaming. Proxima Dea was the first to do so since Constant Flight in 1993. Fillies certainly aren’t supposed to look beaten at the 150-metre mark and then still find a way to burst through. Yet, that is precisely what this daughter of Tarzino did.
She might not turn heads in the yard, but Proxima Dea does possess arguably the most important asset – a big will to win.
The step up to 2000 metres is the ultimate freshman test at this stage of the year, and Proxima Dea will absolutely eat up the trip.
A full sister to Queensland Oaks winner Gypsy Goddess, true stamina runs deep in her bloodlines.
Payne knows exactly how to get his horses to peak for their grand final day: his stable star Montefilia won the Spring Champion Stakes in 2020.
Jockey Zac Lloyd has no doubts about Proxima Dea’s ability and is confident the filly can give him a seventh group 1 win.
His confidence comes from the fact the race tempo did not suit her last time, yet she still won. At Randwick, with a truer staying test, she gets her chance to prove that handsome is as handsome does.
Spare a thought also for Global Goal and Stormy Marco.
Global Goal was impressive winning the group 1 Flight Stakes and possesses elite finishing speed that can put her opposition to bed in a matter of strides.
Stormy Marco overraced early in the Gloaming and then had to make a sustained run out wide, only peaking late. He looks poised to explode, and if any rain arrives later in the week, that will only be an advantage to him.
Blue-blood giant Sir Delius waiting to strike
The Cox Plate might have moved away from its traditional home of Moonee Valley, but the running of the race at Flemington adds another level of intrigue.
There are no international raiders in this year’s edition, but the field of locally trained horses is stacked. Of them, Sir Delius is the real deal.
Ignore the recent betting drift and any pessimistic chatter out of Melbourne – Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott don’t target weight-for-age grand finals unless they have the firepower to execute on race day.
This elite imported son of Frankel has the tactical gears to break hearts, and a high-pressure 2040m test at Flemington is right in his sweet spot.
He came to Australia 18 months ago to target the Caulfield and Melbourne cups after performing well in Europe. Yes, his spring campaign last year was derailed by the strict Victorian veterinary scans, but that is ancient history. He is back and fully cleared.
We saw his true class in the autumn when he executed a perfect plan to down the best of them in the $5 million Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Randwick.
At weight-for-age, class generally prevails. Sir Delius brings hardened international muscle. He can find a position early, relax beautifully and then explode when jockey Craig Williams asks him for the supreme effort. The blue-blood giant is waiting to strike.
While Sir Delius has the credentials to win the Cox Plate, there must be huge respect given to three other formidable runners: Warwoven, Aeliana and Ceolwulf.
First up you have the young gun Warwoven. Bjorn Baker’s dynamic three-year-old was so impressive to the eye and on the clock when producing a rare Golden Rose and Caulfield Guineas double.
Carrying a featherweight 49.5kg in the Cox Plate, his tactical early speed could be all important. If he can steal a couple of slow sectionals while up on speed he will be difficult to beat.
Then there is Aeliana, carrying the hopes of the master trainer-jockey combination of Chris Waller and James McDonald. The outstanding mare has all the attributes to win a Cox Plate.
And don’t look past the thoroughly seasoned warhorse Ceolwulf. He relishes a dogfight and if the Melbourne spring rain arrives to soften the track, that will only enhance his prospects.
Ideally for Sir Delius he gets a brutally sustained speed set up from the start where he can outmuscle them. If he gets anything less, the terrifying trio might outgun him in a sprint finish.