Wall Street On Cox Plate Highway

Sunday, 03 October 2010 02:15

A Cox Plate start for New Zealander Wall Street has been confirmed by his win in the Spring Classic at Hastings but trainer Jeff Lynds is under no illusion about the task at hand.

Wall Street was $2.60 favourite for the Group One Spring Classic (2040m) at Hastings on Saturday and never gave his supporters any cause for concern.

After racing outside the leader, he bounded to the lead at the top of the straight and comfortably held his rivals at bay.

Lynds is well aware Wall Street will have to take another step up to win the Cox Plate.

"He has to improve two to three lengths to be competitive in the Cox Plate," Lynds told NZPA.

But Lynds remains hopeful Wall Street has what it takes.

"He has been trained for that race," he said. "We are looking forward to see what he can do.

"That's what the plan's been. We've worked away at it but it hasn't been completed yet."

Lynds has had previous experience of the Cox Plate as the trainer of Marconee who ran sixth in the 1995 edition won by Octagonal.

He is confident Wall Street will cope with the trip to Melbourne. He raced in Sydney in the autumn, partly with the Cox Plate in mind, and although unplaced in the Doncaster Handicap (1600m) the horse thrived.

"That was specifically to give him a trip across the Tasman and get him prepared for this race," Lynds said.

Another boxed ticked by Wall Street on Saturday was the way he coped with the 2040 metres, the same distance as the Cox Plate. A six-year-old gelding by staying sire Montjeu, Wall Street had not previously raced beyond 1600 metres.

He drew the outside barrier in a field of 14 but he made such a good beginning that Michael Coleman ended up going forward instead of his original intention to settle back.

"Those plans went out the back door. I got across (to sit outside the leader) so easily," Coleman said.

From there it was plain sailing with Coleman only having to ride hands and heels in the home straight and everything amounting to a superior performance.

"He was super," Coleman said.

"I was confident when I asked him to quicken. I thought it would take a good horse to get over the top of him."

Wall Street has now won 10 of his 17 starts, three at Group One level.

Second place went to Ginga Dude in a repeat of last year but there was one major difference, the prize money.

Last year, when the race was known as the Kelt Capital Stakes, the total prizemoney was $1.2 million. But following the withdrawal of the race's sponsor, the race carried a mere $250,000 in stake money.

Keep The Peace ran third and will head to the Caulfield Cup as planned.