After reading the posts regarding Lohnro, I believe he is a great horse but not yet a champion. After watching the race on the weekend I was reminded of a horse that doesn't get mentioned so much these days when talking about Cox Plate winners. Lonhro this year was presented with a very similar task to the one that Better Loosen Up was set when he won the Cox Plate. The only difference being is that one is a champion whilst the other is a great horse.

When Better Loosen Up won the Cox Plate he was more that 20 lengths off the lead that was set by Savage Toss and Stylish Century at the half way mark. Hard ridden from about the 1000 meters, Better Loosen Up cornered 3 or 4 wide around the turn to defeat the likes of Sydeston, Super Impose, Canny Lad and more to win in what was at the time the fastest Cox Plate in history. A time it took Might and Power to beat around 10 years later. Whats more is that next start, Better Loosen Up went on to beat some of the best in the world in the Japan Cup. He came back next spring to win the Australian Cup by five lengths without being hard ridden. Whilst being prepared to take on the best races in Sydney he was injured in trackwork. Now in my mind, that is a Champion!!!

You can debate that he probably should have won another Cox Plate a few years later if it wasn't for severe interference where he finished 5th. A protest was lodged 5th against 2nd and it was upheld which gives you a bit of an idea about the interference he received.

Better Loosen Up won a similar amount of career prizemoney to that of what Lonhro has won to date and he raced nearly 15 years ago.

Nevertheless congrats to Fields Of Omagh for a well deserved win even though I didn't back him.

Good Luck to you all with your punting over the next week or so. I think the cups king looks set to add to his tally.