A day we will never forget - COX PLATE 2016 - YANKEE ROSE 3rd

Dreams can come true!

To have a runner in the 2016 Cox Plate and run a stellar 3rd to possibly one of the best horses this country has ever seen in WINX, is what racing dreams are made of.

Yankee Rose the 3YO filly by All American out of Condesaar, has given Darby Racing, her owners, trainer and staff the ride of a life time. You just had to pinch yourself to be even lining up in the $3million weight for age event BUT to finish a closing but distant 3rd to the champion mare WINX was just simply indescribable.

What a day, what a thrill and what a filly we have on our hands - YANKEE ROSE we salute you!

Let's not forget jockey Dean Yendall who has produced two 11 out of 10 rides at her last 2 starts. Blake Shinn takes over the reigns for the VRC Oaks next week after a prior booking before the Flight Stakes.

I encourage all race owners at all levels to continue dreaming of owning a share in horse like Yankee Rose. The excitement and enjoyment I have witnessed on all connections faces over the past 12 months is simply something to behold and I don't think the reality of what she has achieved thus far, will be fully recognized until the preparation is over.

Yankee Rose has raced on 8 occasions including her last 6 starts at GROUP 1 level winning 2 of those at the highest level.

YANKEE Rose has come through her Cox Plate run well enough for trainer David ­Vandyke to press on with plans to run her in Thursday week’s VRC Oaks.

“She is not too bad, a little bit dusty this morning, but you would expect that,’’ he said of the diminutive three-year-old filly who ran a brave third ­behind Winx on Saturday.

“This filly has just competed at the top level and was off the bit a long way from home, ­trying her guts out.

“I’ll keep an eye on her over the next four or five days, but at this stage she is going to the Oaks.’’

Yankee Rose is the $2.10 favourite with TAB fixed odds for the 2500m Oaks.

Vandyke confirmed Blake Shinn would regain the ride for the Oaks, having been repla­ced by Dean Yendall for her Spring Champion Stakes win due to his ­inability to make the Cox Plate weight of 47.5kg.

Yankee Rose cost only $10,000 at the Inglis Sales but has banked $2.1 million after four wins from eight starts.

“She has won two Group 1 races, run second in the ­Golden Slipper and third in the Cox Plate in her first year of racing,’’ Vandyke said.

“It was a thrill just to have a runner in the Cox Plate, but to see her making ground down the outside and being strong to the line was unbelievable.

“To be there and feel the ­atmosphere was such an ­experience.

“I was looking up at the grandstand and the crowd after the race and trying to take it all in.

“It was an amazing day and we were a part of racing ­history.’’