Cosmic Crusader soars to Cox Plate glory
New Zealand-breds filled three of the first four placings in a unique running of the A$6 million Gr.1 Cox Plate (2040m) at Flemington on Saturday, and it was Cosmic Crusader (NZ) (Maurice) who shone brightest of them all.
The son of Maurice became the third horse foaled at Windsor Park Stud to win the iconic Cox Plate, following on from New Zealand Racing Hall of Fame inductees Might And Power (NZ) (Zabeel) (1998) and So You Think (NZ) (High Chaparral) (2009 and 2010).
The race billed as Australia’s weight-for-age championship was relocated to Flemington this year while Moonee Valley is undergoing a major reconstruction. But although the surroundings were different, the prestigious race more than lived up to its long-held reputation as a battle royale between the best of the best among Australasia’s middle-distance ranks.
There was nowhere to hide in a frenetic renewal of the great race, with last-start Gr.1 Might and Power Stakes (2000m) winner Land Legend (Galileo) sweeping around the outside of the field to throw down the gauntlet and dash four lengths clear of Light Infantry Man (Fast Company) by halfway.
The challengers lined up across the track to take their shots at Cox Plate glory after turning for home, and Land Legend’s bold front-running tactics turned the famously long Flemington straight into survival of the fittest. Cosmic Crusader, who was racing for the seventh time in his current campaign and backing up from a fourth in last week’s Gr.1 Caulfield Cup (2400m), well and truly fit that bill.
Land Legend was swallowed up early in the straight by Sir Delius (Frankel), Blind Raise (NZ) (Ace High), Warwoven (Sword Of State), Birdman (Free Eagle) and Ceolwulf (NZ) (Tavistock).
Aeliana (NZ) (Castelvecchio) soon joined in with a big run out wide, and then Cosmic Crusader came with giant strides right down the outside.
He bounded to the lead with 60m to run, and jockey William Pike stood up in the saddle for a jubilant salute as he triumphed by three-quarters of a length. Birdman finished second, with New Zealand-breds Aeliana and Ceolwulf crossing the line in third and fourth.
“I don’t ever dream of winning these races, because it’s always too far to reach,” Pike said. “I left last week a little disappointed, but he’s backed up and he’s turned up.
“He’s come off their backs and I knew I was a chance. I rode better, I was calmer through the first half to the top of the straight, and he was strong through the line.
“Thanks very much to the whole team. Look how many runs he’s had, he’s just so good.
“I’m not much of a saluter, and I had in my mind before the line, ‘Don’t salute, don’t salute.’ And then the moment gets the better of you and you stand up and you salute and you carry on.
“It’s amazing, it’s infectious. A big crowd, an iconic day – most likely the only ever Cox Plate to be run here – so it’s nice that we get to etch our name in there.”
Cosmic Crusader is raced by his breeder, prominent Perth racing identity Bob Peters.
“I didn’t believe it until about 20m out,” he said. “I saw him coming home, but so often things go wrong and something gets up along the inside or something. But that didn’t happen today.
“This means a lot to all of us, and especially Liam (grandson). He’s so involved. He’s at trackwork every morning and attends all the sales for us, so he’s very close to it all.
“I don’t get speechless very often. I’ve wanted to win the Cox Plate since about 1973. I’ve always looked at it as the best race in Australia, and I think it’s a privilege to have a runner in it, let alone win.”
Previously an eight-time winner in Western Australia including the Gr.1 Northerly Stakes (1800m), Cosmic Crusader ventured east this spring and joined the Pakenham stable of Andrea Leek.
His seven starts in this Victorian campaign have produced four wins – the Gr.3 Bletchingly Stakes (1200m), Gr.2 PB Lawrence Stakes (1400m), Gr.1 Turnbull Stakes (2000m) and Cox Plate – along with a second in the Gr.1 Underwood Stakes (1800m), third in the Gr.1 Memsie Stakes (1400m) and fourth in the Caulfield Cup.
It was only the sixth time in the last 30 years that a horse has completed the Turnbull Stakes-Cox Plate double, with Cosmic Crusader following on from superstars Northerly (2002), Makybe Diva (2005), Winx (2017 and 2018) and Via Sistina (2024).
Cosmic Crusader has now had a total of 24 starts for 12 wins, seven placings and A$6.8 million in stakes.
“A miracle,” Leek said. “He’s just an iron horse. What a champion. What a ride by Willie Pike. Thanks to the Peters family for giving him to me and trusting me.
“I said before I feel like I’m an imposter. To step in and have a horse like this in the early stages of my career, I’m very lucky. I couldn’t be happier.
“We were always hoping he was good enough for a Cox Plate, and he is.
“He’s an amazing horse. I said to Bob this morning that I think I had him a little bit flat for the Caulfield Cup and may have done too much on the Tuesday. He was better going into today. I knew going into today I had him cherry-ripe. I was praying for rain, but we didn’t get it. He was still too good.
“I thought he could be a Cox Plate horse even when he won the Bletchingly. He wasn’t over the distance that he needed to be at that stage. What he was doing then was extraordinary. He’s just an iron horse and he has just got better and better and better.”
Cosmic Crusader is by Maurice out of the Street Sense mare Cosmic Storm, whose seven wins included the Gr.3 La Trice Classic (1800m) and three Listed races. Cosmic Storm is a half-sister to three stakes winners including the Gr.1 Cantala Stakes (1600m) winner Superstorm.
Cosmic Storm foaled Cosmic Crusader while she was at Windsor Park Stud to be served by Charm Spirit. The resulting filly foal from that mating was named Cosmic Spirit and has recorded two wins and three placings from a six-start career to date for Cosmic Crusader’s former trainer Michael Grantham.- NZ Racing Desk
Winner: Cosmic Crusader (NZ) 2020
Owners: Peters Investments Pty Ltd
Trainer: Andrea Leek (Pakenham)
Breeding: by Maurice (JPN) out of Cosmic Storm (AUS) by Street Sense (USA)
Breeder: Peters Investments Pty Ltd
Tarzino filly adds Spring Champion to perfect record
Proxima Dea (Tarzino) extended her flawless record to five out of five with a powerhouse performance in the A$2 million Gr.1 Moet & Chandon Spring Champion Stakes (2000m) at Randwick on Saturday.
By Westbury Stud stallion Tarzino and a full-sister to the Gr.1 Queensland Oaks (2200m) winner Gypsy Goddess, Proxima Dea always had the bloodlines for age-group excellence over classic distances.
Trainer David Payne quickly noticed that she had talent to match, declaring her a contender for the Gr.1 VRC Oaks (2500m) after she scored a $51 upset victory on debut at Randwick in July.
Further successes followed at Gosford on August 6 and Rosehill on August 29, and then Proxima Dea became the first filly since 1993 to win the Gr.3 Gloaming Stakes (1800m) when she rallied gamely after looking beaten in the Rosehill feature on October 10.
Payne lifted the bar again for Saturday’s Spring Champion, and Proxima Dea rose to the occasion to become the fourth filly to win the race. She joins Yankee Rose (All American) (2016), Maid Of Heaven (Smart Missile) (2018) and the Payne-trained Montefilia (Kermadec) (2020).
Drawn in the outside gate among a field of nine, Proxima Dea and jockey Zac Lloyd jumped well but found themselves posted wide around the first turn. Lloyd elected to push forward and take up a position on the outside of the leader Cormier (Maurice), and Proxima Dea settled into a smooth rhythm from there.
Those early efforts might have been expected to take a toll on Proxima Dea, but when Lloyd asked her to quicken in the straight, the second favourite responded and found plenty more.
She pulled away from Cormier and took command, going on to win by a length and a half from the other filly in the race, Global Goal (Pinatubo). The latter was sent out the $2.80 favourite for the Spring Champion Stakes after a last-start success in the Gr.1 Flight Stakes (1600m).
Proxima Dea’s exceptional campaign has not only met, but exceeded Payne’s expectations.
“To look at her you wouldn’t give much for her, but she seems to have everything – guts, heart and class,” he said. “I said to Zac that she’ll outstay them, but we can’t have a sit and sprint. I told him, ‘If nothing goes, you go, get up outside the leader and go early on her.’
“We know it’s the further, the better with this filly. She can go to the Oaks now. The extra 500m won’t be a problem, she will love it and we can give her an easier ride.
“This filly keeps surprising me. Montefilia was a good filly, but I think she stays better than Montefilia. I think Montefilia was maybe maximum 2000m.”
For Lloyd, there was hardly a moment’s doubt about Saturday’s result.
“To be fair, I thought it was game over after about 400m,” he said. “I have a lot of faith in her. I knew how tough she was last start. Once she was a length or two in front of the main rivals, I knew she was always going to be the strongest late. It was going to be awfully hard to get to her and then get past her.
“That’s her easiest win today, and it was in a Group One. She is a beauty, just tries her hardest.
“It’s so hard to do what she has done, to win five in a row. The world is her oyster.”
Proxima Dea is the fourth Group One winner for Tarzino, all of them in three-year-old races over 2000m and further. Gypsy Goddess (NZ) won the Queensland Oaks and placed in the Australian Oaks (2400m) and Vinery Stud Stakes (2000m), Jungle Magnate (NZ) took out the South Australian Derby (2500m), and Willydoit (NZ) claimed the New Zealand Derby (2400m). Himself a Gr.1 Victoria Derby (2500m) winner and a son of influential classic stallion Tavistock, Tarzino stands for a $15,000 service fee at Westbury Stud.
The dam of Proxima Dea is the Redoute’s Choice mare Invisible Coin. Her name means “Another Goddess” in Latin, a nod to her celebrated older sister Gypsy Goddess, and she is providing another chapter in the breeding success of Transtasman Breeders Pty Ltd.
The filly was bred and is raced by Andy Giles, Hugh Docherty and Caroline Vincent, with Vincent’s partner Richard Kurland a driving force behind the operation.
The group purchased Invisible Coin before Gypsy Goddess emerged as a Group One star and subsequently returned the mare to Tarzino in the hope of producing another quality stayer.
“We purchased Invisible Coin before Gypsy Goddess started winning,” Giles said.
“All of a sudden she was an early favourite for the Australian Oaks, in which she went on to finish runner-up, and then she won the Queensland Oaks.
“On the back of her success, it was a pretty quick decision that Tarzino was a good option.”
Proxima Dea was offered at the Sydney Easter Yearling Sale but failed to find a buyer, a decision that is now proving fortunate for her owner-breeders.
Tarzino is well represented in the upcoming NZB Ready to Run Sale at Karaka on November 18 and 19, where he has 12 two-year-olds in the catalogue. - NZ Racing Desk
Winner: Proxima Dea 2023
Owners: Mr A P Giles, Ms C L Vincent, Mr H Docherty
Trainer: David Payne (Rosehill)
Breeding: by Tarzino (NZ) out of Invisible Coin (AUS) by Redoute's Choice (AUS)
Breeder: Transtasman Breeders Pty
Soverato secures valuable black type
Talented mare Soverato (NZ) (Vadamos) headed a New Zealand-bred trifecta when she claimed the third and most significant win of her career to date in Saturday’s A$300,000 Gr.3 Powerflo Solutions Tesio Stakes (2040m) at Flemington.
The daughter of Vadamos had shown bright promise as a three-year-old last season, winning twice and finishing third in the Gr.3 Adrian Knox Stakes (2000m), fourth in the Gr.2 Phar Lap Stakes (1500m), fifth in the Gr.1 Australian Oaks (2400m) and Gr.1 Queensland Oaks (2200m) and sixth in the Gr.2 Doomben Roses (2000m).
Seventh over 1400m and third over 1600m in her first two starts this time in, the Chris Waller-trained Soverato relished the step up to 2040m on Saturday and put her best foot forward.
Soverato was ridden by Damian Lane and settled just behind a clump of five horses that pushed forward to vie for the early lead. When they finally settled into an order with Sunset Park (Sea The Stars) out in front, Soverato remained handily placed in sixth and one off the rail.
Lane angled Soverato to the outside at the top of the straight and asked her to lengthen stride. She drew up alongside the leaders with 250m to run and thrust her head in front.
Soverato gave Lane everything he asked for through a tough final 150m and she won by a long neck from a wall of horses, which was headed by fellow Kiwi-breds Shockletz (NZ) (Shocking) and Ocean Bay (NZ) (Vanbrugh).
“She was good,” Lane said. “She has been on an upward trajectory throughout her career and had been building to a performance like this, so it was great for it all to come together today.
“She found the line well today. She was in front from a long way out and sustained a good run. It was a good effort.”
Soverato has now had 12 starts for three wins and three placings. She has earned A$368,700 for an OTI Racing ownership syndicate.
“Chris Waller always said when she was a three-year-old that there was plenty to come when she matured,” OTI Racing director Terry Henderson said.
“Her last two runs had been very strong, so there was a bit of confidence going into today.
“When they were going at a good clip, sitting back there, I was just thinking she needed a bit of racing room and build her up.
“I think the Matriarch Stakes (Gr.2, 2000m) back here in two weeks might be an option. Chris will make that decision, but because she’s only had the three runs, she’s certainly not over the top yet.”
Soverato is by Vadamos out of the Casino Prince mare Princess Biscotte, who is a half-sister to Gr.1 CF Orr Stakes (1400m) winner Barkada (Spectrum).
Along with Soverato, Princess Biscotte’s four winners from six foals to race also include the Listed 3YO Salver (2100m) winner Formidable (NZ) (Shocking). He was later renamed Tianchi Monster and won six races in Hong Kong.
Offered by breeders Rich Hill Stud during the 2024 NZB National Online Yearling Sale on Gavelhouse Plus, Soverato was bought by Katrina and Simon Alexander’s Kasa Bloodstock for $10,000. OTI Racing later purchased her following an eye-catching second for the Alexanders in a Waipa trial in May of 2025. - NZ Racing Desk
Winner: Soverato (NZ) 2022
Owners: O T I Racing, Mr A T Berry, Mrs C M Hickey, Ms D M Linnane, Mr J A Boyd, Mr A L Boyd, Mr A D Fong, Big Timer, Mr P A Tasker, Mr I Paton, 2W, Mr R Bow, Mr J M Gurrieri, Mr N A Davidson, Mr D L Blumberg, Mrs T L Franey, Mrs D A Paterson, Schooner Racing, Step Aside
Trainer: Chris Waller (Flemington)
Breeding: by Vadamos (FR) out of Princess Biscotte (AUS) by Casino Prince (AUS)
Breeder: C C E; Mrs C F; Mrs I S & J W Thompson
Sales: 2024 National Online Yearling Sale V: Rich Hill Stud $10000 P: Kasa
Te Akau Racing strike in Riccarton three-year-old feature
Exciting filly Sword Of Stars (NZ) (Sword Of State) thrust her name into contention for Group One glory at Riccarton next month when she downed a handy line-up of three-year-olds in the Gr.3 War Decree Stakes (1400m) at Riccarton.
The Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson-trained daughter of Te Akau Racing’s former champion juvenile Sword Of State, who now stands at Cambridge Stud, has always looked to have plenty of talent as she found the winner’s circle at her fifth start when breaking her maiden status at Timaru over 1200m at the start of the month.
That victory had followed a stakes placing in the Listed Canterbury Belle Stakes (1200m) to open her spring campaign which saw her start Saturday’s traditional lead-up to the Gr.1 Barneswood Farm New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) as a well backed $2.90 Fixed Odds favourite.
Rider Wiremu Pinn produced a copybook effort as he allowed his mount to find her feet after she slightly missed the start, improving against the inside running rail to be behind the leaders rounding the home bend.
Travelling easily, Sword Of Stars angled off the heels of Platinum La Danse (NZ) (Noverre) and So Fear at the 200m and swept by to hit the finish line a length to the good of the pair who fought on well to fill the minor placings.
Bergerson admitted the victory created a dilemma for the stable as the filly holds both her 1000 Guineas nomination while also entered for the other three-year-old blue riband contest during New Zealand Cup Week, the Gr.1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m).
“She has set herself up nicely and it (the two feature race options) is a good problem to have,” Bergerson said.
“The query today was going to 1400m and whether she would settle a little better, so we took the side winkers off, and she relaxed and got into a nice rhythm after not jumping that flash.
“It was a patient ride, and I loved the way she attacked the line, so we are looking forward to going 1600m with her now.
“When he (Pinn) really asked her, she picked up and got to the line nicely.
“It is good to see her at her best as we tried to push her as a two-year-old and that didn’t work.”
Sword Of Stars is now rated a $10 Fixed Odds chance in the 1000 Guineas whilst she has also shortened to an 18 Fixed Odds quote for the 2000 Guineas.
Sword Of Stars was a $350,000 Karaka purchase by Sir David Ellis who secured her from the Windsor Park Stud draft during the 2025 Book 1 session at the New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling sale series at Karaka.
Raced by the Te Akau Stately Hall Racing Partnership, she is out of the Group Three placed mare Angelica Hall (NZ) (Gullotine) and is from a family that includes Australian Group One winners Golden Sword (NZ) (Kaapstad) and Royal Descent (Redoute’s Choice).
The win added further lustre to the day for Te Akau Racing who had earlier picked up a victory with Queen’s Evidence (NZ) (King’s Legacy) in race four on the programme whilst also winning the open 1600m event at Ellerslie with Top Shelf (NZ) (Savabeel). - Kevin Robertson
Winner: Sword of Stars (NZ) 2023
Owners: Te Akau Stately Hall Racing Partnership (Mgr: Karyn Fenton-Ellis MNZM)
Trainer: Mark Walker & Sam Bergerson (Matamata)
Breeding: by Sword of State (AUS) out of Angelica Hall by Guillotine
Breeder: Windsor Park Stud Ltd
Sales: 2025 National Yearling Sale - Book 1 V: Windsor Park Stud $350000 P: DC Ellis CNZM (BAFNZ)
Kevin Robertson
NZ Racing Desk
NZ Racing Desk
Kevin Robertson
