Sir Dragonet Rises To Challenge In Cox Plate
Irish import Sir Dragonet (4c Camelot - Sparrow, by Oasis Dream) made a dream start for new connections when capturing the 100th running of the Group 1 Cox Plate at Moonee Valley on Saturday.
Last seen finishing second to Magical (Galileo) in the Group 1 Tattersalls Gold Cup, the son of Camelot was partnered by Glen Boss on his first start for the Ciaron Maher and David Eustace stable. The bay raced towards the back of the field in the early stages, moving into midfield from halfway and made good headway from two and a half furlongs out. Ridden approaching the final furlong, he quickened past former stablemate Armory (Galileo) to win by a length and a quarter, as favourite Russian Camelot (Camelot) completed a 1-2-3 for Coolmore sires.
Having earned $3.25million for new connections on Saturday, Sir Dragonet will now bid to become the eighth winner of the Cox Plate to follow up in the Melbourne Cup. On the colt’s chances, Glen Boss said, “He’s got great form and he just might go a little bit better in a Melbourne Cup, I’m telling you, because he was actually getting warmed up towards the line. He was actually getting quicker towards the post.”
Ciaran Maher was thrilled with his charge’s performance and said, “To think you get a horse of this calibre. I’ve looked after him for a bit over two weeks - it is just phenomenal. He never missed an oat and I was always very confident with his fitness.”
Bred by Orpendale, Wynatt and Chelston, Sir Dragonet continues an unbelievable season for Camelot. Saturday’s rival Russian Camelot (Camelot) made history in May when becoming the first Northern Hemisphere bred horse to win an Australian Derby, and gained his second top-flight success in the Underwood Stakes at Caulfield. Even So (Camelot) added to her sire’s impressive CV when taking the Group 1 Irish Oaks later that summer.