Nominations released for 2024 Caulfield Cup and Cox Plate

Godolphin trainer Charlie Appleby could end a four-year absence from Melbourne spring carnival features after the release of Caulfield Cup and Cox Plate nominations. SEE THE FULL LISTS

Melbourne Cup-winning trainer Charlie Appleby could be back at the spring carnival after a four-year absence and he has left the door open for one of the world’s best gallopers to tackle the Caulfield Cup.

Appleby won the 2018 Melbourne Cup with Cross Counter but has not had a runner in Australia since the stayer finished eighth in the 2019 Melbourne Cup.

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Covid and Racing Victoria’s tough veterinary processes have combined to dissuade Appleby from sending teams to Melbourne for the last four spring carnivals.

However, Appleby has entered four runners for the Caulfield Cup, including the world-class stayer Rebel’s Romance, who has won Group 1 races in four countries, including two starts back when he claimed the Champions & Chater Cup in Hong Kong.

Rebel's Romance is just too good! The boys in blue land the @StanChart Champions & Chater Cup at Sha Tin... 🏆 #HKracingpic.twitter.com/iEgGm1Ow7y

— HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) May 26, 2024

Appleby has flagged an intention to take Rebel’s Romance back to Hong Kong for December’s international race day, making a trip to Melbourne possible before heading to Asia.

Appleby’s entries form part of the 36 overseas-trained runners among the 173 nominations for the Caulfield Cup, which will be run on October 19.

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Irish master trainer Aidan O’Brien has also entered 19 Caulfield Cup candidates, matching the entry contingent of top local trainer Ciaron Maher.

The Chris Waller stable tops the list of Caulfield Cup nominations with 24.

Rebel’s Romance, winning the Dubai Sheema Classic at Meydan in March, is among Charlie Appelby’s four entries in the Caulfield Cup. Picture: Getty Images

Meanwhile, last year’s Cox Plate winner Romantic Warrior will not return for a crack at back-to-back wins in The Valley’s weight-for-age championship.

The Hong Kong-trained star was not among the 137 entries for the Cox Plate, which closed at noon on Tuesday.

A trio of Japanese-trained gallopers were entered for the Cox Plate, aiming to become the first from the powerful racing nation to win the event since Lys Gracieux in 2019.

Prognosis, who has solid form around Romantic Warrior in their three meetings in Hong Kong, could make the trip to Melbourne should he run well in his next outing in Japan later this month.

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$5m CAULFIELD CUP (Group 1 Handicap, 2400m)
Saturday, October 19

1 A Piece Of Heaven (FR) (Joseph O’Brien)
2 Aberfeldie Boy (Robbie Griffiths & Mathew de Kock)
3 Absurde (FR) (Willie Mullins)
4 Adelaide River (IRE) (Kris Lees)
5 Age Of Sail (GB) (Kris Lees)
6 Ahuriri (NZ) (Chris Waller)
7 Air Assault (Andrew Gluyas)
8 Alder (IRE) (Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young)
9 Alegron (Bjorn Baker)
10 Almairac (IRE) (Cliff Brown)
11 Alsakib (GB) (Andrew Balding)
12 Another Wil (Ciaron Maher)
13 Aramco (IRE) (Chris Waller)
14 Ardakan (GB) (Ciaron Maher)
15 Arugamama (Andrew Gluyas)
16 Athabascan (FR) (John O’Shea & Tom Charlton)
17 Attrition (Mitchell Freedman)
18 Auguste Rodin (IRE) (Aidan O’Brien)
19 Autumn Angel (Peter G Moody & Katherine Coleman)
20 Aztec State (Ben, Will & JD Hayes)
21 Balance Play (IRE) (Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott)
22 Bankers Choice (NZ) (Michael Moroney & Glen Thompson)
23 Basilinna (NZ) (Emma-Lee & David Browne)
24 Bear On The Loose (IRE) (Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott)
25 Berkshire Breeze (IRE) (Ciaron Maher)
26 Birdman (IRE) (Chris Waller)
27 Bois D’argent (GB) (Annabel Neasham & Rob Archibald)
28 Brayden Star (GB) (Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young)
29 Buckaroo (GB) (Chris Waller)
30 Canberra Legend (IRE) (Chris Waller)
31 Captain Electric (NZ) (Andrea Leek)
32 Carina Queen (Mitchell Freedman)
33 Carini (FR) (Danny O’Brien)
34 Ceolwulf (NZ) (Joseph Pride)
35 Changingoftheguard (IRE) (Kris Lees)
36 Chief Little Rock (IRE) (Aidan O’Brien)
37 Circle Of Fire (GB) (Ciaron Maher)
38 Cleveland (IRE) (Kris Lees)
39 Coco Sun (Tony & Calvin McEvoy)
40 Content (IRE) (Aidan O’Brien)
41 Continuous (JPN) (Aidan O’Brien)
42 Country’s Light (Tetyana Furdetska)
43 Craig (GB) (Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young)
44 Crystal Black (IRE) (Gerard Keane)
45 Crystal Delight (GB) (Harry Eustace)
46 Denmark (GB) (Chris Waller)
47 Deny Knowledge (IRE) (Anthony & Sam Freedman)
48 Diego Velazquez (IRE) (Aidan O’Brien)
49 Dillian (IRE) (Ciaron Maher)
50 Divus Romulus (IRE) (Nick Ryan)
51 Duke De Sessa (IRE) (Ciaron Maher)
52 El Bodegon (IRE) (Chris Waller)
53 El Soleado (Robbie Laing)
54 Eliyass (FR) (Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott)
55 Emissary (GB) (Michael Moroney & Glen Thompson)
56 Esti Feny (HUN) (Matthew Smith)
57 Etna Rosso (IRE) (Chris Waller)
58 Euphoric (GB) (Aidan O’Brien)
59 Fairbanks (GB) (Andrew Balding)
60 Fancy Man (IRE) (Annabel Neasham & Rob Archibald)
61 Fawkner Park (IRE) (Annabel Neasham & Rob Archibald)
62 Ferago (Patrick F Ryan Jr)
63 Firestorm (NZ) (Chris Waller)
64 Foxy Cleopatra (Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young)
65 Francesco Guardi (IRE) (Chris Waller)
66 Ganbare (Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott)
67 Gear Up (IRE) (Annabel Neasham & Rob Archibald)
68 Golden Path (NZ) (Mick Price & Michael Kent Jr)
69 Good Oil (NZ) (Andrew Forsman)
70 Grateful (IRE) (Aidan O’Brien)
71 Grosvenor Square (IRE) (Aidan O’Brien)
72 Haaracaine (IRE) (Nick Ryan)
73 Hans Andersen (GB) (Aidan O’Brien)
74 Honey Girl (GB) (Peter G Moody & Katherine Coleman)
75 Huetor (FR) (Peter Snowden)
76 Illinois (IRE) (Aidan O’Brien)
77 Immediacy (NZ) (Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young)
78 Inevitable Award (Paul Preusker)
79 Interpretation (IRE) (Ciaron Maher)
80 Jan Brueghel (IRE) (Aidan O’Brien)
81 Just Fine (IRE) (Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott)
82 Kalapour (IRE) (Kris Lees)
83 Kitty Rose (GB) (Mick Price & Michael Kent Jr)
84 Klondike (GB) (William Haggas)
85 Knight’s Choice (John Symons & Sheila Laxon)
86 Kovalica (NZ) (Chris Waller)
87 Land Legend (FR) (Chris Waller)
88 Lauding (NZ) (Ciaron Maher)
89 Le Don De Vie (GB) (Ciaron Maher)
90 Light Infantry Man (FR) (Ciaron Maher)
91 Loft (GER) (Ben, Will & JD Hayes)
92 Los Angeles (IRE) (Aidan O’Brien)
93 Luxembourg (IRE) (Aidan O’Brien)
94 Major Beel (NZ) (Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott)
95 Make Us Proud (IRE) (Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young)
96 Manzoice (Chris Waller)
97 Mare Of Mt Buller (Chris Waller)
98 Mark Twain (NZ) (Roger James & Robert Wellwood)
99 Measured Time (GB) (Charlie Appleby)
100 Medatsu (NZ) (Chris Waller)
101 Middle Earth (GB) (Ciaron Maher)
102 Military Mission (IRE) (Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott)
103 Mission Of Love (John Symons & Sheila Laxon)
104 Molly Bloom (NZ) (Chris Waller)
105 Mostly Cloudy (IRE) (Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young)
106 Muramasa (Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young)
107 Nations Pride (IRE) (Charlie Appleby)
108 New Endeavour (IRE) (Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott)
109 Night Sparkle (IRE) (Andrew Balding)
110 Okita Soushi (IRE) (Ciaron Maher)
111 Onesmoothoperator (USA) (Brian Ellison)
112 Opera Singer (USA) (Aidan O’Brien)
113 Osipenko (NZ) (Chris Waller)
114 Our Anchorage (IRE) (Bjorn Baker)
115 Pennyweka (NZ) (Ciaron Maher)
116 Place Du Carrousel (IRE) (Anthony & Sam Freedman)
117 Poifect (Ben, Will & JD Hayes)
118 Point King (IRE) (Anthony & Sam Freedman)
119 Point Lonsdale (IRE) (Aidan O’Brien)
120 Poison Chalice (NZ) (Paul Preusker)
121 Poptronic (GB) (Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott)
122 Port Fairy (IRE) (Aidan O’Brien)
123 Portland (IRE) (Aidan O’Brien)
124 Positivity (NZ) (Andrew Forsman)
125 Post Impressionist (IRE) (Anthony & Sam Freedman)
126 Prince Eric (IRE) (Archie Alexander)
127 Promises Kept (Ciaron Maher)
128 Quantum Cat (USA) (Chris Waller)
129 Que Tempesta (IRE) (Ben, Will & JD Hayes)
130 Raf Attack (NZ) (Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott)
131 Rattle And Hum (IRE) (Michael Freedman)
132 Rebel’s Romance (IRE) (Charlie Appleby)
133 Relentless Voyager (GB) (Andrew Balding)
134 Riff Rocket (Chris Waller)
135 Royal Patronage (FR) (Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott)
136 Royal Supremacy (IRE) (Ciaron Maher)
137 Saint George (GB) (Ciaron Maher)
138 Savacat (NZ) (Graeme & Deborah Rogerson)
139 Sayedaty Sadaty (IRE) (Ciaron Maher)
140 Scarlet Oak (Chris Waller)
141 Sea What I See (IRE) (Danny O’Brien)
142 Serpentine (IRE) (Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott)
143 Shaiyhar (IRE) (Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young)
144 Shangri La Express (Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott)
145 Sharp ‘n’ Smart (NZ) (Graeme & Deborah Rogerson)
146 Shonan Bashitto (JPN) (Naosuke Sugai)
147 Silver Knott (GB) (Charlie Appleby)
148 Sir Lucan (IRE) (Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott)
149 Smokin’ Romans (NZ) (Ciaron Maher)
150 St Vincents Garden (IRE) (Anthony & Sam Freedman)
151 Star Of India (IRE) (Annabel Neasham & Rob Archibald)
152 Strawberry Rock (IRE) (Ciaron Maher)
153 Suizuro (Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young)
154 Tannhauser (Chris Waller)
155 The Equator (IRE) (Aidan O’Brien)
156 The Map (Dan Clarken & Oopy MacGillivray)
157 Touristic (GB) (Peter Snowden)
158 Trust in You (NZ) (Bruce Wallace & Grant Cooksley)
159 Uncle Bryn (GB) (Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young)
160 Unusual Legacy (NZ) (Chris Waller)
161 Valiant King (GB) (Chris Waller)
162 Via Sistina (IRE) (Chris Waller)
163 Vibrant Sun (Mick Price & Michael Kent Jr)
164 Vow And Declare (Danny O’Brien)
165 Waltham (GB) (Matthew Smith)
166 Warmonger (NZ) (Mick Price & Michael Kent Jr)
167 Warp Speed (JPN) (Noboru Takagi)
168 Without A Fight (IRE) (Anthony & Sam Freedman)
169 Yankee Hussel (Kris Lees)
170 Ylang Ylang (GB) (Aidan O’Brien)
171 Young Werther (NZ) (Danny O’Brien)
172 Zardozi (James Cummings)
173 Ziggy (GB) (Harry Eustace)

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$5m COX PLATE (Group 1 WFA 2040m)

Saturday, October 26

1 Adelaide River (IRE) (Kris Lees)
2 Air Assault (Andrew Gluyas)
3 Amelia’s Jewel (Annabel Neasham & Rob Archibald)
4 Another Wil (Ciaron Maher)
5 Antino (NZ) (Tony Gollan)
6 Arapaho (FR) (Bjorn Baker)
7 Ardakan (GB) (Ciaron Maher)
8 Athabascan (FR) (John O’Shea & Tom Charlton)
9 Atishu (NZ) (Chris Waller)
10 Attrition (Mitchell Freedman)
11 Auguste Rodin (IRE) (Aidan O’Brien)
12 Autumn Angel (Peter G Moody & Katherine Coleman)
13 Bases Loaded (Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott)
14 Berkshire Breeze (IRE) (Ciaron Maher)
15 Berkshire Shadow (GB) (Ciaron Maher)
16 Bois D’argent (GB) (Annabel Neasham & Rob Archibald)
17 Bosustow (Annabel Neasham & Rob Archibald)
18 Broadsiding (James Cummings)
19 Buckaroo (GB) (Chris Waller)
20 Carina Queen (Mitchell Freedman)
21 Caste (Ben, Will & JD Hayes)
22 Ceolwulf (NZ) (Joseph Pride)
23 Cepheus (GB) (Matthew Dunn)
24 Changingoftheguard (IRE) (Kris Lees)
25 Chief Little Rock (IRE) (Aidan O’Brien)
26 Circle Of Fire (GB) (Ciaron Maher)
27 Cleveland (IRE) (Kris Lees)
28 Coco Sun (Tony & Calvin McEvoy)
29 Content (IRE) (Aidan O’Brien)
30 Country’s Light (Tetyana Furdetska)
31 Craig (GB) (Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young)
32 Dawn Service (Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott)
33 Deny Knowledge (IRE) (Anthony & Sam Freedman)
34 Depth Of Character (Annabel Neasham & Rob Archibald)
35 Desert Lightning (NZ) (Peter G Moody & Katherine Coleman)
36 Detonator Jack (NZ) (Ciaron Maher)
37 Diego Velazquez (IRE) (Aidan O’Brien)
38 Docklands (GB) (Harry Eustace)
39 Dom (Ben, Will & JD Hayes)
40 El Castello (Anthony Cummings)
41 El Soleado (Robbie Laing)
42 Eliyass (FR) (Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott)
43 Encap (Gary Portelli)
44 Entrusting (Ben, Will & JD Hayes)
45 Epimeles (Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young)
46 Eternal Flame (NZ) (Michael Kent)
47 Evaporate (NZ) (Ben, Will & JD Hayes)
48 Fangirl (Chris Waller)
49 Fawkner Park (IRE) (Annabel Neasham & Rob Archibald)
50 Foxy Cleopatra (Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young)
51 Francesco Guardi (IRE) (Chris Waller)
52 Freedom Rally (Tony Gollan)
53 Golden Path (NZ) (Mick Price & Michael Kent Jr)
54 Grammar Lad (Ben, Will & JD Hayes)
55 Grosvenor Square (IRE) (Aidan O’Brien)
56 Hans Andersen (GB) (Aidan O’Brien)
57 Henlein (Anthony & Sam Freedman)
58 Hishi Iguazu (JPN) (Noriyuki Hori)
59 Honey Girl (GB) (Peter G Moody & Katherine Coleman)
60 Hot Majesty (Ben, Will & JD Hayes)
61 Iknowastar (Bjorn Baker)
62 Illinois (IRE) (Aidan O’Brien)
63 Immediacy (NZ) (Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young)
64 Jayarebe (FR) (Brian Meehan)
65 Jennilala (Ciaron Maher)
66 Joliestar (Chris Waller)
67 Just Fine (IRE) (Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott)
68 Kalapour (IRE) (Kris Lees)
69 Killer Ability (JPN) (Takashi Saito)
70 Kintyre (Gary Portelli)
71 Kitty Rose (GB) (Mick Price & Michael Kent Jr)
72 Knight’s Choice (John Symons & Sheila Laxon)
73 Kovalica (NZ) (Chris Waller)
74 Legarto (NZ) (Ken & Bev Kelso)
75 Light Infantry Man (FR) (Ciaron Maher)
76 Linebacker (NZ) (John O’Shea & Tom Charlton)
77 Los Angeles (IRE) (Aidan O’Brien)
78 Luxembourg (IRE) (Aidan O’Brien)
79 Mark Twain (NZ) (Roger James & Robert Wellwood)
80 Measured Time (GB) (Charlie Appleby)
81 Megastar Heart (Annabel Neasham & Rob Archibald)
82 Military Mission (IRE) (Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott)
83 Mission Of Love (John Symons & Sheila Laxon)
84 Molly Bloom (NZ) (Chris Waller)
85 Mr Brightside (NZ) (Ben, Will & JD Hayes)
86 Muramasa (Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young)
87 My Oberon (IRE) (Annabel Neasham & Rob Archibald)
88 Nations Pride (IRE) (Charlie Appleby)
89 Ndola (Ben, Will & JD Hayes)
90 New Endeavour (IRE) (Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott)
91 New Energy (IRE) (Ciaron Maher)
92 Opera Singer (USA) (Aidan O’Brien)
93 Pennyweka (NZ) (Ciaron Maher)
94 Pericles (James Cummings)
95 Place Du Carrousel (IRE) (Anthony & Sam Freedman)
96 Point King (IRE) (Anthony & Sam Freedman)
97 Poptronic (GB) (Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott)
98 Port Fairy (IRE) (Aidan O’Brien)
99 Post Impressionist (IRE) (Anthony & Sam Freedman)
100 Pounding (Peter G Moody & Katherine Coleman)
101 Pride Of Jenni (Ciaron Maher)
102 Prognosis (JPN) (Mitsumasa Nakauchida)
103 Prost (Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott)
104 Quickster (Peter G Moody & Katherine Coleman)
105 Red Aces (Nick Ryan)
106 Red Galaxy (Greg Eurell)
107 Riff Rocket (Chris Waller)
108 Royal Champion (IRE) (Anthony & Sam Freedman)
109 Royal Patronage (FR) (Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott)
110 Saint George (GB) (Ciaron Maher)
111 Sav On Ice (Darryl Carrison)
112 Scarlet Oak (Chris Waller)
113 Sea What I See (IRE) (Danny O’Brien)
114 Shangri La Express (Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott)
115 Sharp ‘n’ Smart (NZ) (Graeme & Deborah Rogerson)
116 Southport Tycoon (Ciaron Maher)
117 St Vincents Garden (IRE) (Anthony & Sam Freedman)
118 Storm Boy (Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott)
119 Tannhauser (Chris Waller)
120 Tavi Time (NZ) (Kris Lees)
121 Territory Express (Paul Niceforo)
122 Tom Kitten (James Cummings)
123 Traffic Warden (James Cummings)
124 Tropical Squall (Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott)
125 Unspoken (IRE) (Peter Snowden)
126 Valiant King (GB) (Chris Waller)
127 Via Sistina (IRE) (Chris Waller)
128 Vibrant Sun (Mick Price & Michael Kent Jr)
129 Waltham (GB) (Matthew Smith)
130 Wanaruah (Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott)
131 Warmonger (NZ) (Mick Price & Michael Kent Jr)
132 White Birch (GB) (John Joseph Murphy)
133 Without A Fight (IRE) (Anthony & Sam Freedman)
134 Ylang Ylang (GB) (Aidan O’Brien)
135 Young Werther (NZ) (Danny O’Brien)
136 Zardozi (James Cummings)
137 Zougotcha (Chris Waller)

Originally published as Nominations released for 2024 Caulfield Cup and Cox Plate