New Zealand star Ocean Park has produced a sweeping run from the back of the field to give glamour jockey Glen Boss a third Cox Plate triumph.
In a stirring finish, Ocean Park wore down the three-year-old All Too Hard to claim Australia’s weight-for-age championship at Moonee Valley on Saturday.
Ocean Park winning the Sportingbet W.S. Cox Plate at Moonee Valley - photo by Race Horse Photos Australia (Steven Dowden)
“I feel like this is my finest moment .. this horse is just a winner,” Boss said.
“To all those who doubted him, stick that up your shirt.
“He gave me a great ride and always felt like he was going to win throughout the run.”
Settling in the second half of the pack, Ocean Park made a long, sustained run to put himself into the race at the 400m.
In search of a fourth successive Group One triumph, Ocean Park levelled up to All Too Hard at 100m before edging ahead.
“It’s the epitome of every trainer’s career,” Ocean Park’s trainer Gary Hennessy said.
The Gai Waterhouse-trained Pierro finished third, just ahead of Ethiopia.
Modern-day great Makybe Diva gave Boss his breakthrough Cox Plate win and he partnered So You Think in the first of the horse’s two victories in the race.
