In March, the Ladbrokes Cox Plate 100 Trophy undertook a tour of New Zealand taking in key racedays including the Barfoot & Thompson Auckland Cup Day, South Waikato Racing Club Raceday in Matamata and Al Basti Equiworld NZ Oaks Day in Wellington.
During the 10 day tour, the tour took in many parts of the North Island to catch up with past Cox Plate legends to hear their stories and reminisce about their place in history of the legendary race. From Bonecrusher to Solvit, Our Phantom Chance to Ocean Park, New Zealand’s standing in the race is unquestionable.
The MVRC would like to thank LoveRacing.NZ, New Zealand Bloodstock, TAB and (NZ) Thoroughbred Marketing for their support of the Tour.
New Zealand we are coming for you... The home of many W.S. Cox Plate legends and the start of our Cox Plate 100 Tour
What a brilliant day trackside for Auckland Cup Day at Ellerslie Racecourse! The perfect way to kick-off our Cox Plate 100 Tour of New Zealand.
New Zealand Bloodstock is the source of racetrack legends and it was only fitting the Cox Plate 100 Trophy paid a visit as part of our New Zealand Tour. Many champions who have won 'The Race Where Legends Are Made' began their journey in the sales ring at Karaka.
He would be regarded as one of the greatest jockeys of all time and with four W.S. Cox Plate wins who could argue! We caught up with Australian and New Zealand Hall of Fame jockey Brent 'Babe' Thomson to reminisce about his Cox Plate glories...
The confidence levels were high for trainer Graeme Rogerson ahead of the 2004 Cox Plate and the star 3YO colt Savabeel didn't let him down. The two were reunited as we paid a visit to the W.S. Cox Plate winner, who now resides as a Champion sire at Waikato Stud
New Zealand's Bob Vance rode The Phantom Chance to Cox Plate glory in 1993 and his memories are still vivid from that day. Hear about his hilarious Ballarat Barber story and why his famous salute at the finish line cost him a few dollars and plenty of laughs
Windsor Park Stud has been the birthplace of champions and their impact on the W.S. Cox Plate has been significant. We paid a visit on our Cox Plate 100 NZ Tour to reflect on two superstars in Might and Power and So You Think
The Cox Plate 100 Tour rolled on to the South Waikato Racing Club raceday at Matamata Racecourse, with racegoers enjoying meeting Cox Plate royalty and the Cox Plate 100 trophy
"It's the pinnacle of my career". Ocean Park's trainer Garry Hennessy enjoyed a wild ride with the star colt with the 2012 W.S. Cox Plate the culmination of four Group Ones in a row. It was jockey Glen Boss' third Cox Plate win, but he wasn't the rider they originally had in mind. Ocean Park is now enjoying a stellar career at stud at Waikato Stud
Sunline fans, this is a must watch! We caught up with Stephen McKee and Greg Childs to reflect on the mighty Kiwi mare as part of our Cox Plate 100 NZ Tour
"It was the biggest thrill I ever got in my life". Trainer John Wheeler and jockey Noel Harris reflect on their 1988 Cox Plate victory with Our Poetic Prince and recall the controversy surrounding Vo Rogue's scratching on race morning
34 years since 'The Race of the Century' was run, it still makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand up! The 1986 W.S. Cox Plate will be remembered forever as two giants from New Zealand slugged it out at The Valley, with Bonecrusher famously "racing into equine immortality" ahead of Our Waverley Star. We caught up with Bonecrusher's trainer Frank Ritchie to reminisce about this warrior of a racehorse and the legacy he has left
Trainer Moira Murdoch created history when she won the 1994 Cox Plate with Solvit and we loved visiting her on our Cox Plate 100 NZ Tour. She still enjoys training to this day, using the picturesque Karioitahi Beach to work her horses
The Cox Plate 100 NZ Tour enjoyed its last stop at the picturesque Trentham Racecourse for Al Basti Equiworld Dubai NZ Oaks Day. It was an exciting day as Jennifer Eccles took out the feature race and many enjoyed getting their photo with the gold Cox Plate 100 trophy as favourite son Greg Childs shared treasured memories of Sunline
What a week the Cox Plate 100 Tour enjoyed in New Zealand! Enjoy a snapshot of those we visited on the New Zealand Tour who have had a major impact on the W.S. Cox Plate - The Race Where Legends Are Made - and what it means to them