There is an entire generation of Australian racing fans that are adamant Kingston Town is the greatest horse that they’ve ever seen and he will have plenty of support in the Ladbrokes Greatest Ever Cox Plate.
Kingston Town stamped himself as a champion before he even made the trip to Melbourne, he won four Group 1 races during the 1980 Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival, but it was in the Cox Plate were he was really able to secure his legacy.
Each of Kingston Town’s wins in the Cox Plate were memorable in their own way and, before Winx came along, he was the horse that was synonymous with the great race.
Can Kingston Town reclaim his throne by winning the Ladbrokes Greatest Ever Cox Plate?
Cox Plate Wins
1980 Cox Plate
Kingston Town started the 1980 Cox Plate as favourite, but some Victorian-based experts had started to question whether the ‘Sydney Champion’ was as good as advertised after he was beaten in both the Caulfield Stakes and the Caulfield Cup.
He turned out to be just as good, if not better, than advertised.
Malcolm Johnston rode Kingston Town with plenty of confidence and it quickly became clear that he was absolutely flying coming around the final turn.
Kingston Town went to the front at the top of the straight and he was quickly able to put five lengths on his rivals.
1981 Cox Plate
Kingston Town did not lose a race between his triumphs in the Cox Plate in 1980 and 1981.
After missing the Autumn due to injury, Kingston Town won the Premiere Stakes, Warwick Stakes, STC Cup and George Main Stakes in Sydney before taking out the Caulfield Stakes in Melbourne.
It wasn’t an easy watch for punters that took the short odds on offer for another Kingston Town Cox Plate triumph and it took him a while to run down a gallant Lawman, but his class prevailed in the end.
1982 Cox Plate
There has arguably never been a more famous win in the history of the Cox Plate.
Kingston Town’s Cox Plate lead-up form was far from flawless, he was beaten in the Chelmsford Stakes and the Hill Stakes, but he still started the race as favourite after taking out the George Main Stakes and Caulfield Stakes.
Peter Cook elected to settle Kingston Town in the second half of the field in the early stages of the 1982 Cox Plate and Bill Collins famously declared that ‘Kingston Town can’t win’.
Nobody told the horse.
It took Kingston Town a while to wind up, but he showed a lethal turn-of-foot when he finally found clear running in the straight and he finished over the top of his rivals to claim a most famous victory.
Major Race Wins
1979 Spring Champion Stakes
1980 Rosehill Guineas
1980 AJC Derby
1980 Tancred Stakes
1980 Sydney Cup
1980 Queensland Derby
1980, 1981 & 1982 Cox Plate
1981 & 1982 George Main Stakes
1981 & 1982 Caulfield Stakes
1982 Western Mail Classic (now known as the Kingston Town Stakes)
The Resident Rainman Says:
It is no surprise that Kingston Town has been very popular in early betting for the Ladbrokes Greatest Ever Cox Plate.
The horse was a genuine winner and he always went to another level when he was sent to The Valley for the Cox Plate.
His win in the 1982 Cox Plate may have been his most memorable, but his win in 1980 was his best and there are few horses in the history of racing that would have been able to beat him that day.
Tactical versatility is another factor that Kingston Town has in his favour and he showed during his career that he could win from just about anywhere.
The Kingston Town vs Winx debate has become a very popular one in Australian racing and I can’t wait to see them do battle in the Ladbrokes Greatest Ever Cox Plate!