The late great Roy Higgins declared Taj Rossi as the best horse he ever sat on.
Potentially.
The Spring of 1973 from Taj Rossi was something we won’t see ever again. He won an Ascot Vale Stakes (Now Coolmore Stud), then later in the prep won a Cox Plate. Backed up a week later to win the Victoria Derby. Seven days later he won the George Adam’s (Now Emirates Stakes), then a week further on, he saluted in an epic Sandown Guineas.
In the Autumn of 1974 he got a virus and was just never the same horse. It was a case of what could have been. And that is the debate now. With eight days until the first Group l of the season, just who is the best horse in Australia?
Espiona
If potential is the measuring stick, then for me, it is Espiona. Her win during Cup Week at Flemington would have made Black Caviar proud in terms of the arrogance she put them away. It was stunning and the signs were there that she will get better with that prep under the belt leading into the Autumn. What is her best distance? Who knows. But I, like most, can’t wait for her to return.
Hot on her heels is Profondo. Talk about arrogance. His Spring Champion win was indeed that, and he did it at start three. Given his price tag and life post racing, he will be aimed at the big races and taking on the big boys and girls at some stage. Potentially, he could be a star.
But there is a flip side to potential. Rewind a few years. Remember Egg Tart? I do, because she was a very fruitful horse for me when she came of age as a three year old filly, winning six on the bounce, including the SA and QLD Oaks. The ‘W’ word popped up after the QLD Oaks: Winx. Egg Tart was her heir apparent.
She had 18 subsequent starts after that win for just one victory, a lowly Group ll at the Sunshine Coast.
Egg Tart was trained by Chris Waller and he has the luxury of having what I consider the best horse in Australia in his stable, along with an all time great.
Verry Elleegant
She’s had a few homes in her career but her greatness has been fulfilled with Waller. The genius of Waller has got this once very head strong horse to fight like a Tiger and sprint like a Cheetah when she needs to.
Hindsight is a wonderful thing but her Melbourne Cup win was 12 months in the making. All of her 2021 races, she had looked a bit on the dour side, with the thought process being that her 2020 Caulfield Cup/Melbourne Cup assault had stuffed her.
Fast forward to the first Tuesday in November of 2021. She was as much as $31. She couldn’t carry the weight. She’s no good on firm ground. Her Cox Plate run, to the eye, was just okay.
But she wasn’t at Flemington on potential. She was there with the runs on the board being a champion already and what she produced the last 400m was that of an all time great. The turn of foot she produced when James McDonald asked her. It was something we will remember forever.
Anamoe is the horse on everybody’s lips, and to an extent, rightfully so. Artorius, if he can learn barrier manners, is in the mix. And just how good is Hitotsu?
But again, it comes back to potential. There is no potential about Verry Elleegant. She has the runs on the board.
Have Your Say 🗣 Who do you think the best horse currently racing in Australia is?