Cox Remembered as Popular and Highly Talented Horsewoman

Katie Cox is being remembered as a highly talented horsewoman and a kind and well respected person by the harness racing industry.

Tributes have flowed for Cox after she passed away earlier this month after courageously fighting a rare form of lung cancer.

NZB Standardbred manager Cam Bray said Cox will not only be remembered for her skills as a horsewoman, but also for wonderful personal qualities.

“Katie was a great horsewoman, but also a great person and her passing is an absolute tragedy.”

“She did a wonderful job with her horses and she was always very upfront in all of her dealings.”

“She will be sadly missed by the entire harness racing industry.”

While Cox is best known for her deeds as a trainer and driver, but her skills stretch across almost every aspect of the harness racing industry.

After becoming a preparer of yearlings for the national sales, she built her client base and developed one of the most prominent drafts at the National Yearling Sales, under her Te Awatea Stables banner.

“Katie increased her numbers each year and established herself as one of the bigger independent consignors of yearlings,” Bray said.

“She was going places in the yearling sales arena.”

“Katie did a wonderful job with her yearlings, her horses were always very well presented and looked after.”

Champion reinsman Ricky May, who had a close association with Cox throughout her career, also paid tribute to the popular horsewoman.

May drove Cox’s trotter Spy Da Moment in his emotionally charged career finale just days after the trainer’s passing.

Spy Da Moment and May did Cox proud when running a very creditable third placing.

Cox’s peers gathered at Addington for a minute’s silence to mark her passing while drivers at the Canterbury track, and further North at Cambridge, wore blue and white armbands in her honour.

“Everyone loved Katie so much, she was such a lovely lady,” May said.

“To achieve so much – and she had to work so hard to get where she did.”

“She got her University degree then started off with Jamie Gameson, Colin de Fillipi and then Ken Barron.”

“She worked for all the good trainers and really worked hard on everything she has done.”

Cox enjoyed good success as a trainer and driver, with her victory with It’s Tough in the Group Two Welcome Stakes at Addington last year among her career highlights.