Does redemption song beckon for Verry Elleegant in Cox Plate?

Should Verry Elleegant get her mojo back in Saturday’s Cox Plate at Moonee Valley, on her return to the enclosure Hallelujah booming out with a Teddy Tahu Rhodes rendition, being another New Zealander, would be appropriate.

Following Nature Strip’s triumph in The Everest at Royal Randwick music obviously has place in racing with Sweet Caroline contributing to a striking memory.

James McDonald, on the Chris Waller sprinter, bounced back to the Neil Diamond beat, amid a moshpit proving the popularity of the world’s richest sprint to a younger audience.

Sweet Caroline was hardly unique to the Randwick occasion. I do “hands, touching hands” during the Sydney Cricket Ground half-time break featuring the Swans. It gets the recollection juices running, last Saturday bringing to mind flashbacks of Adam Goodes, Buddy on the boil and Isaac Heeney taking a miraculous mark.

No doubt, the right soundtrack adds to the occasion and can even be a balm to punt-drunks, particularly those battered by misfortune.

Certainly the Cox Plate, once a front-runner in after-race pizzazz, will have to produce a special note to top the Nature Strip vibe.

Verry Elleegant gets the chance to bounce back in Saturday’s Cox Plate after disappointing at her last start.Credit:Getty

Still racing is about memories more than labels: to me group 1 doesn’t enhance the event. Sure, The Everest is the highest standard but the fact that it is not recognised by the adjudicators doesn’t take anything away from the experience.

The Magic Millions, with the Gerry Harvey-Katie Page driving force, for two-year-olds is also worthy of the elite grading but is still out in the cold being restricted to youngsters purchased at the sale of the same name.

Tradition, though, cannot be purchased and the Cox Plate has it in spades. Great races are a matter of taste, two-year-olds nah, sprints to a degree but I’m more inclined to 1600 metres than 1200m.

The Cox Plate has long been a personal favourite: Moonee Valley due to the circumstances of the circuit makes it a more up close and personal affair with the turns, twists and tempo producing greatness. The best? Winx taking her fourth (2018) in what has been a remarkable history encompassing champions.

“Kingston Town can’t win” for instance and the Makybe Diva spectacle make it difficult to find the second-best. The awe of Winx went beyond marketing and a soundtrack.

Subsequent chapters fell flat. Lys Gracieux (2019), from Japan, was very good and Sir Dragonet (2020), an import with Aussie influences in trainers Ciaron Maher and David Eustace, hardly generated a ditty.

Consider the Bonecrusher-Our Waverley Star battle royale in 1986. No doubt Stan’ Up And Fight from Carmen characterised the clash.

And the very memorable Might And Power (1998). Owner Nick Moraitis showed a turn of foot long gone since his days as a referee in the South Sydney juniors as he cantered down the straight in the victory celebration. It could have enhanced with a blast of Zorba The Greek.

Apart from Hallelujah what could be heard on Saturday? If the Brit-bred Zaaki scores Green, Green Grass Of Home? The Tom Jones rendition, of course.

Perhaps an Irish win with State Of Rest would be harder to place. When Irish Eyes Are Smiling is a tad drab, Galway Bay is about as lifting as Botany Bay and I’m left with Mustang Sally. Cynics may say it isn’t Irish but The Commitments, who did it so well, were.

But that’s about winners. Horse players soured and emitted backing seconds, just like Rocky Balboa after an Apollo Creed demolition, should tune into Going The Distance from Rocky. It will get you off the canvas and in the mood of “hands, reaching out, touching me, touching you.”

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