IRISH GALLOPER Adelaide came from last to beat Australia’s weight-for-age stars to win the $Aus3 million WS Cox Plate at Melbourne’s Moonee Valley racetrack today.
Adelaide’s win over 2040 metres (10 furlongs) was another triumph for international horses during the Melbourne Cup spring carnival a week after Admire Rakti’s Caulfield Cup victory for Japan.
Adelaide, (7-1) ridden by Ryan Moore, finished powerfully to get the better of the 7-2 favourite Fawkner by a short neck, while New Zealand mare Silent Achiever (25-1) was a half head away third.
It was a first Australian win for champion Irish trainer Aidan O’Brien.
“It has been a wonderful feat,” Coolmore’s Australian racing manager James Bester said.
“He has been trained from Ireland with Aidan directing everything to the minutest detail. He had the best trainer in the world and the best jockey in the world.”
Top notch Wigan fans respect big time
While the McClean story is your dominant headline from that game, there should also be a noteworthy mention for Darragh Lenihan who was outstanding at the heart of the Boro defense. Hopefully he will benefit even more now from the arrival of Michael Carrick who should give the entire club a big lift. Surely Lenihan deserves to be in the next Irish squad, together with Greg Cunningham, who is playing great at left back for PNE.