Is Cox Plate an option for 2024 Melbourne Cup favourite Circle Of Fire?

Ciaron Maher is giving serious thought to running the Melbourne Cup favourite in all three spring majors this year.

Champion trainer Ciaron Maher has Caulfield-Melbourne Cup goals for Circle Of Fire but the Cox Plate remains an option.

Former international Circle Of Fire burst on to the Australian racing scene last autumn with back-to-back wins in the Group 2 Chairman’s Stakes (2600m) and Group 1 Sydney Cup (3200m).

Circle Of Fire is an $11 favourite in TAB’s pre-nominations Melbourne Cup market and $21 and $51 respectively in Caulfield Cup and Cox Plate betting.

“Caulfield Cup is probably hard to pass up but if you look at his turn of foot, his turn of foot would be quick enough (for a Cox Plate),” Maher said.

“Whether he could lay up for the first half of the race is probably questionable.”

🔥 Circle Of Fire gives @Atzenijockey a G1 in his 8th country, as he wins the Sydney Cup in what is sure to be a very emotional win! 🏆@[e-mail]/dtjmvIgwNq

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) April 13, 2024

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Multiple Group 1 star Pride Of Jenni, also trained by Maher, is $4 favourite for the Cox Plate and should take plenty of catching.

Maher prepared 2022 Melbourne Cup winner Gold Trip to contest all three spring majors.

Gold Trip placed second in the Caulfield Cup and was an unlucky ninth in the Cox Plate before victory at Flemington.

Maher went down the same path last year with Gold Trip – third in the Caulfield Cup and fifth in the Cox Plate.

The champion stayer faded in the Cup on fast ground with top weight.

Circle Of Fire, set to resume in the Group 1 Makybe Diva Stakes next month at Flemington, got a taste of The Valley last Monday in a cruisy track gallop and should be a regular visitor going forward.

The Ciaron Maher camp is delighted with the condition of Sydney Cup winner and Melbourne Cup favourite Circle Of Fire, who will kick off his Spring campaign with a Cranbourne jumpout on Monday. 👇https://t.co/0cMy2hN4pu

— Racenet (@RacenetTweets) July 28, 2024

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Maher has used The Valley gallops to great effect in recent seasons, especially with stayers and older horses.

“It’s something different (being away from his regular training base). Older horses need stimulation, it doesn’t need to be all the time but when it fits into the program it’s a good alternative,” Maher said.

Maher has 17 starters entered to race at The Valley on Saturday including six in the Travis Harrison Cup (2040m) – headlined by Duke De Sessa, Smokin’ Romans and Interpretation.

Smokin’ Romans was runner-up last start at Flemington behind Horrifying, who has won again since.

Originally published as Is Cox Plate an option for 2024 Melbourne Cup favourite Circle Of Fire?