A legend in his own lifetime, Australian trainer J. Bart Cummings added yet another feather to his overflowing cap when sending out So You Think (High Chaparral – Triassic, by Tights) to a repeat victory in Australia's most famous weight-for-age event, the Gr.1 Tatts W.S. Cox Plate at Moonee Valley in Melbourne, Australia, on Saturday, October 23rd. The now four-year-old joined Kingston Town, Northerly, Phar Lap, Sunline and Tobin Bronze as a multiple winner of the rich 2,040 metres race, worth a total of A$ 3,050,000.

Known as the 'Race Where Legends Are Made', the Cox Plate has not had a shorter priced winner in the past 40 years – So You Think started at "half-money". Jockey Steven Arnold was at the controls and was delighted at the response from his talented mount. "He was such a hot favourite," he said, adding, "I just wanted to let him show his best and not make any errors. It's an unbelievable thrill. I was very calm, wasn't nervous at all but knew there was a lot of expectation on him – he's just a great horse."

Cummings, who has seen many a champion pass through his barn, was equally effusive. "That was all right, he was never in any trouble. He's up there now in the top four or five but he hasn't won a Melbourne Cup yet. That looks like where we'll go now. We'll think about the Mackinnon if I think he needs to run. He's pretty good, isn't he?"

The winner, owned by Dato Tan Chin Nam & Tunku Ahmad Yahaya, is now a best-priced 3-to-1 for Australia's greatest race, the Melbourne Cup (3,200 m.) on November 2nd. He was bred in New Zealand from a stout family that has been in that country since the 1880s. So You Think's dam Triassic was one of the best of her generation but had not produced anything of stakes class when offered at the 2005 Inglis Sydney broodmare sales.

Breeder Mike Moran, along with his wife Helen and partner Cecile Smith of Piper Farm, picked her up for just A$16,000 as she was in foal to the uncommercial stallion Nuclear Freeze. As Moran was the marketing manager for Windsor Park Stud, located in the Waikato area near Cambridge on New Zealand's North Island, he sent Triassic to Coolmore's High Chaparral, then shuttling to Windsor Park for the first time. So You Think was sold as a yearling for A$110,000.

For the record, the veteran nine-year-old Zipping (by Danehill) finished second in the Cox Plate, ahead of the third-placed Whobegotyou (by Street Cry), known for being a most consistent performer. Three races earlier on the same card, unbeaten sprint star Black Caviar (Bel Esprit – Helsinge, by Desert Sun) cruised to her seventh straight victory, which came in the Gr.2 Schweppes Stakes (1,200 m.). The racemare is unusual for an Australian-bred in that she traces to a Danish mare, Love Song. It's ironic therefore that the runner-up here was Hot Danish (by Nothin Leica Dane)! Trainer Peter Moody handles the dark-hued winner, who was steered by Luke Nolen.

The former foreman for Bill Mitchell, Moody said, "The only guide I've got is General Nediym – he's the only great sprinter I've worked with – and she's better than him."

In other Southern Hemisphere news, it is learned that star South African sprinter J J The Jet Plane (Jet Master – Majestic Guest, by Northern Guest) is now in England en route to Hong Kong. The six-year-old gelding, who has had a variety of handlers in his long career, is currently with trainer Lucky Houdalakis, who offered the following update: "J J will be staying at an isolation unit on a farm 7 miles outside Newmarket and he has to remain there for 30 days. (Jockey) Pierre Strydom will fly out to ride him in the Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Sprint on December 12th." The gelding has already shown his international prowess by taking the Gr.3 Al Quoz Sprint at Nad Al Sheba in Dubai last year.

England
In a potentially exciting development, England's champion three-year-old Workforce (King's Best – Soviet Moon, by Sadler's Wells) has received the green light to participate in the Gr.1 Breeders' Cup Turf (12 fur.) at Churchill Downs on November 6th providing the ground conditions are suitable and not too firm. At the time of writing, it appears there will be some rain between today and the day of the race – when it should be fine – but of course the picture can change any day.

Meanwhile, the Aidan O'Brien-trained pair of Fame And Glory (by Montjeu) and Cape Blanco (by Galileo) are to miss the gala weekend in Kentucky. However, the pair remains in training for 2011. The pecking order in England amongst the two-year-olds has sorted itself out over the past few weeks. The form has held in pleasing manner and Frankel (by Galileo), mentioned in my last despatch, is sure to be anointed the champion two-year-old. Following him are Dream Ahead (by Diktat), who blotted his copybook last time out but remains a live force for next year, and the pair of Roderic O'Connor (by Galileo) and Wootton Bassett (by Iffraaj).

Next comes the American-bred Pathfork (by Distorted Humor) whose form received a boost when Casamento (by Shamardal) – narrow runner-up to him last time out – saluted in the Gr.1 Racing Post Trophy (1,600 m.) at Doncaster on October 23rd. The win for Sheikh Mohammed's colt gave Irish trainer Michael Halford his first-ever Group One victory.

Following the winner, who sported the famous maroon and white silks, was the Aidan O'Brien-trained duo of Seville (by Galileo) and Master Of Hounds (by Kingmambo). Casamento was ridden by Frankie Dettori and will now be shipped to Dubai where he will join Godolphin. Although his sire stayed no more than 10 furlongs, Casamento has stout elements on his dam side – he hails from the family of Vaguely Noble – and is being programmed for the 2011 Epsom Derby for which he is quoted at 10 to 1.