Only The Best Horse Poem by Francis Duggan

Only the best horse, colt, gelding, mare or filly ever wins the Cox Plate
And only the winner they will celebrate
First place by a nose is as good as a mile
The connections of the winner and the winning punters can laugh, cheer and smile
Australia's best weight for age thoroughbred the Cox Plate always win
Great race horses race to the winning post they refuse to give in
Not unlike human successes the most determined succeed
Of the gallant in defeat one seldom does read,
Only the best does win that well may be true
But the gallant in defeat never receives fair due
Winning horses and winning humans in common many things share
They become big heroes in the big World out there
The best thoroughbred in the Cox Plate will be first past the winning post
And to the winner the majority does drink a toast.