SYDNEY - New Zealand mare Sunline will not face one of her toughest rivals when she seeks a third consecutive win in the $A2.25 million Cox Plate in Melbourne in the spring unless the Moonee Valley Racing Club (MRVC) can guarantee a good track.
Shogun Lodge, arguably Australia's best credentialled middle-distance
galloper, would miss the group one weight-for-age event and campaign overseas if the track wasn't "up to scratch", according to Sydney trainer Bob Thomsen.
Thomsen said Sunline's massive win in last year's race - in heavy track conditions - was too good to be true.
He was one of many trainers critical of the MRVC's decision to run last year's Moonee Valley Cup less than 48 hours before the Cox Plate.
"We may never have beaten Sunline but you have to ask what's wrong when three of Australia's top horses (Tie The Knot, Shogun Lodge and Sky Heights) finish more than 20 lengths behind the winner," Thomsen told The Australian newspaper.
"It comes back to the track which wasn't up to scratch."
Thomsen said Shogun Lodge, winner of Wednesday's $A200,000 Hollindale Stakes (1800m) at the Gold Coast, south of Brisbane, would instead be prepared for the Hong Kong Mile (1600m) in December and next year's Dubai Cup (2000m).
"There's no doubt the Cox Plate is our greatest race but if the track isn't up to standard he won't race there again.
"There's too much money for him overseas to risk ruining him on a bad track."
Wednesday's impressive win, in a time just seven-hundredths of a second outside Might And Power's race record, confirmed Shogun Lodge as one of the biggest Cox Plate threats to Sunline, whose connections have spoken of a desire to claim a third victory in the race.
Shogun Lodge's jockey Glen Boss endorsed his ride's chances.
"I know Sunline is a freak but this horse has the fastest finishing sprint of any horse I've ridden," Boss said.
- NZPA
