She was a talented Cummings' trained mare that defeated the very best in the Cox Plate

Brilliant mare DANE RIPPER shot to fame as a three-year-old filly when winning the 1997 Group one QTC Stradbroke Handicap for Bart Cummings with just 50kg on her back. However, that particular achievement merely served as a prelude to her most significant victory and one of the most exceptional performances in a G1 feature. Damien Oliver delivered a masterful performance when he guided Dane Ripper to victory in the 1997 Cox Plate, orchestrating a remarkable comeback from a trailing position on the Moonee Valley turn. This achievement secured one of the most significant upset victories of the late 1990s.

Although it may not appear that long ago to Chris Munce - who transitioned from jockey to trainer - three decades have passed since he guided the esteemed mare Dane Ripper to triumph in the Stradbroke Handicap. At the age of 28, Munce's proficiency in riding at a lighter weight secured him the seat aboard Bart Cummings' three-year-old filly in the prestigious Group One race. Dane Ripper went into the 1997 Stradbroke Handicap as a $17 chance with only 50.5kg on her back, and Munce said he went into the race with a fair bit of confidence given how good of a feel she had given him in track work. Jumping from barrier nine in the 18-horse field, Munce recalled his mount getting a nice run in transit in the second half of the field, before she let down with her customary turn of foot to set out after the leader and eventual runner-up, QUICK FLICK.

A homebred for Gae Codner, who had bred and raced her mother RED EXPRESS (Sovereign Red) to win the Gr.1 STC Orlando Classic (now the Coolmore Classic). SOVEREIGN RED, herself was a stakes winner having captured the Group 1 Coolmore Classic in 1989, with the family line producing multiple Group race victors. She was sired by DANEHILL (USA), a bay stallion born in 1986 and by DANZIG, renowned as a leading international sire for imparting speed and versatility to his progeny; her grandsire Danzig contributing the influential Northern Dancer bloodline. Dane Ripper was bred by Pitt Place Pty Ltd and raced under their ownership, managed by Gae Codner in distinctive yellow and black colours.

DANE RIPPER was then set for the spring carnival of 1997, but nothing went to plan. The daughter of DANEHILL failed to win in all three starts in Sydney, culminating in a disappointing 11th placing in the Epsom, so she was dispatched to Melbourne more in hopeful desperation over expectation. Bill Charles, formerly from the Australian Jockey Club and then secretary in Macau, was Cummings’ ever efficient no fuss racing manager, and he wanted to know if Damien Oliver had a ride in the Cox Plate.

(Cummings gave Oliver his maiden Group 1 with SUBMARINER in the 1990 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes)

Bill rang Damien, who was at trackwork across town to say, “you’ve got a Cox Plate ride”. Damien asks, “what is it?” and Bill replies “Dane Ripper.” The jockeys response was defiant…“well it can’t win”. Bill did remind him that 2 minutes earlier he couldn’t win the race either because he didn’t have a mount. Oliver’s recalled: “I think my first thought was – well I’m going to have to give this a good ride.” And of course, that he did, one of the most brilliant Cox Plate performances in the history of the race.

Partnered by Damien Oliver and sent to the post at odds of $41 for the 1997 Cox Plate, Dane Ripper found her mojo to zoom clear once finding the inside rail to beat the outstanding galloper FILANTE ridden by Jim Cassidy by a length and a half. Rounding the final turn, Dane Ripper was trapped. There were horses either side and two blocking a path in front. The filly was bottled up behind the leaders with nowhere to go before Oliver made the bold decision to aim for the fence and slip DANE RIPPER up along the paint to explode away the final 50 metres. It gave Oliver his first of two Cox Plate victories. She later proved that win was certainly no fluke, adding Group I victories to her resume in the VRC Australian Cup beating the brilliant MIGHT AND POWER, and the MVRC Manikato Stakes.

DANE RIPPER was retired to stud in 1998 and has spent virtually her whole life at Coolmore. She remained in the ownership of the Codner family until she was sold through the Inglis Broodmare Sale fetching $50,000 to be owned by a Coolmore syndicate. At stud, Dane Ripper has had six foals to race, three of them winners headed by stakes placed SWITCHBLADE and STAR RIPPER, also a filly called DIAMOND FEVER. After missing in 2012, DANE RIPPER was sent to Golden Slipper winner PIERRO, with a filly the result of the mating. PEROICITY had 23 starts for four wins and three placings.

Dane Ripper's major wins included: 1997 Stradbroke Handicap, when ridden by Chris Munce, beating Quick Flick. 1997 Cox Plate, when ridden by Damien Oliver, beating Filante. 1998 St George Stakes, when ridden by Steven King, beating Might and Power, 1998 Australian Cup getting home over Deinquent, 1998 Memsie Stakes (Oliver) beating Willoughby and 1998 Manikato Stakes (Oliver) defeating Sir Boom.

Dane Ripper remained one of only two living female winners of the Cox Plate, the other was Australian Horse of the Year MAKYBE DIVA. The Group 2 Dane Ripper Stakes, a 1300m quality handicap for fillies and mares run annually during the Queensland winter carnival at Eagle Farm Racecourse.

RACE RECORD  - 29: 12-2-6
EARNINGS - A$3,151,833

Stradbroke Handicap (1997)
W S Cox Plate (1997)
Australian Cup (1998)
Manikato Stakes (1998)
Memsie Stakes (1998)

Australian Champion Filly or Mare (1998)