The last few weeks leading up to a big horse race can be an exciting time. The final field is announced, punters go into overdrive over the form guide and plans are put into place for getting down to the big event itself. The Cox Plate remains one of the most popular races in Australia, and we at Motive Travel organise popular package tours to the Moonee Valley Racing Club each year. You’ve already learned how to train a race horse to win the Plate itself, and we’re sure that it won’t take much to whet your appetite for the 2016 event. Even so, here are three songs to get you in the mood for this year’s Cox Plate.
The Cox Plate remains one of the most popular races in Australia.
A Horse With No Name (America)
America’s iconic 1971 hit is one that’s lyrics have been picked over for decades, but we’re not about to dive into just what the band were trying to get across with their surreal efforts. Instead, we’ll just take the song for what it is – a wonderful, catchy, but also very haunting song that stays with the listener long after the final chords have faded away.
The song talks of the titular ‘horse with no name’ that crosses over a desert, in an effort to get out of the rain (or something). Well, we don’t know about you, but each of the starters at the Cox Plate are more than likely to have a name, and the Moonee Valley course is covered in lush green grass, not arid sand. As for the rain? Well, no one can control the weather, so a few drops may fall, but we’re hoping for a sunny day out! Great song, mind.
Goodbye Horses (Q Lazzarus)
Q Lazzarus’ one-hit wonder was made famous around the world for its appearance during an iconic scene in ‘The Silence Of The Lambs’, but after racking up monstrous sales, the mysterious Lazzarus was barely heard from again. The lyrics are even stranger than that of ‘A Horse With No Name’ (what is it with horse-related titles and indecipherable words?) but even so, the hypnotic beats and high energy of the track make it perfect to put on your playlist as you prepare for the Cox Plate.
Ride A White Horse (Goldfrapp)
It’s rare these days that you see a white horse on the race track. That’s because the majority of horses at the starting gate are between two and five years old. Some of them may be grey,however, grey horses are born chestnut, brown, black or bay, changing colour as they mature. As a horse grows older still, the grey turns a beautiful white colour, but by the time they are this age, they are sadly past their racing prime. Thus, it’s unlikely that you’ll see any jockeys riding a white horse at the Cox Plate. Sorry, Goldfrapp – again, great tune though!
Be sure to contact the helpful team at Motive Travel to book your Cox Plate package!
