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Cox Plate 2023: Runner-by-runner analysis and tips

Here is the runner-by-runner form assessment and tips for Saturday’s W.S Cox Plate.

Racenet
5 min read
October 26, 2023 - 10:34AM
Militarize (red and yellow silks) and Fangirl during Breakfast With The Best at Moonee Valley on Tuesday.
Militarize (red and yellow silks) and Fangirl during Breakfast With The Best at Moonee Valley on Tuesday.

The W.S Cox Plate (2040m) has drawn together a cracker field for the 103rd renewal at The Valley on Saturday.

The Cox Plate is famous for some of the greatest moments on the Australian turf like Winx’s four wins, Kingston Town’s three victories, the Bonecrusher and Our Waverley Star’s race of the century and Super Impose’s memorable win against what’s regarded as the best field in the history of the race in 1992.

This year‘s field includes 10 Group 1 winners, two international raiders and two three-year-olds. The field consists of 10 entires, colts and geldings and two mares.

• ‘Bring it on‘: Romantic Warrior’s trainer thriving on Cox Plate pressure

Here is a runner-by-runner analysis of every horse set to line up on Saturday.

1 — ROMANTIC WARRIOR ($3.80)

Hong Kong superstar that’s won five of his seven 2000m starts. Finished fourth in the Turnbull Stakes in his first Australian start but from all reports he’s improved sharply from that run, and he set The Valley alight in a gallop there on Monday. Better served at the weights this time and jumps from barrier seven.

VERDICT: Must be included in the chances.

2 — ZAAKI ($17)

Annabel Neasham is adamant he’s going as well as ever and he arrives here with six weeks between runs after being scratched on race morning from the King Charles III Stakes due to a slightly elevated blood cell count. Zaaki has three wins and seven placings from 13 2000m starts. He was four weeks between runs when winning the 2021 Mackinnon Stakes. Has drawn barrier 12 and that gate is yet to win a Cox Plate.

VERDICT: Will make his own luck and at his best would give a big sight.

3 — MR BRIGHTSIDE ($8)

One of the true stars of Australian racing but he is yet to win or place at 2000m in two previous attempts, in last year’s Caulfield Stakes and Cox Plate. In saying that you can strongly make a case to say he’s a better horse 12 months on, having won the All-Star Mile, a second Doncaster and three of his four starts this spring, his only defeat came on a rock-hard Randwick surface in the King Charles III Stakes. Jumps from barrier two.

VERDICT: Query at the trip but can’t deny his class.

4 — ALLIGATOR BLOOD ($5.50)

Ticked the 2000m box last start in the Caulfield Stakes when he did the work and scored an emphatic win. He is a seven-time Group 1 winner so he’s a worthy member of Australia’s elite gallopers but he has finished outside the placings in his two starts around The Valley track, in last year’s Cox Plate and the All-Star Mile earlier this year. Jumps from barrier five after being the first horse to have his barrier drawn.

VERDICT: Going as well as ever and you’d be a fool to say no.

5 — GOLD TRIP ($9)

Going as well, if not better than he was 12 months ago when he was the unlucky runner in the Cox Plate, beaten 2¾ lengths by Anamoe. Comes into this off a third in the Caulfield Cup under 58.5kg and a Turnbull Stakes win. Needs to overcome a 65-year drought if he’s to deliver from barrier 8.

VERDICT: Look for him to be finding the line hard.

6 — MY OBERON ($51)

Without winning he’s been going as well as he has in Australia this spring. Chased home Fangirl and Mr Brightside last start when third in the King Charles III Stakes after solid finishing performances in the Epsom, 7 Stakes and Tramway Stakes defying the perception he’s a wet tracker. Barrier four ensures he gets a gun run.

VERDICT: Going better than ever but place is best.

7 — PINSTRIPED ($61)

Booked his place in the race by winning ballot exemption when taking out the Group 2 Feehan Stakes on September 9. Prior to that he ran second in the PB Lawrence Stakes and since then he was fifth in the Group 1 Toorak Handicap. Unbeaten in two start at the track, on debut at 2000m but past performances point to him eating it up. Barrier 11 harms his winning chances.

VERDICT: Won’t run last but faces a task from the draw.

8 — FANGIRL ($9)

Claimed the title of the best miler in the land when thrashing them in the King Charles III Stakes but 2000m is a whole new challenge and she hasn’t drawn as favourably this time. Only Kovalica ran a faster last 200m than Fangirl in the King Charles III Stakes and the only time she was stretched beyond the mile was when she won the Vinery Stud Stakes over 1850m. Barrier nine is no favour.

VERDICT: 2000m looks within reach but will need luck from the draw.

9 — DUAIS ($26)

She’s a proven 2000m weight-for-age horse and she is one that would relish a brutality run Cox Plate if it transpires. She is the winner of an Australian Cup and a Tancred Stakes and this preparation she has run on into third in the Underwood and Caulfield Stakes. Barrier one should allow her to land as close as she can and do minimal work.

VERDICT: One for the First 4s.

10 — VICTORIA ROAD ($7.50)

Like past European-trained Cox Plate winners, he comes here having won a US Group 1 race, following in the footsteps of Adelaide and State Of Rest. Finished third in his most recent start in the Group 2 Dullingham Park Stakes (1m), second that day was Buckaroo who finished seventh, beaten 5¼ lengths, in the King Charles III Stakes. Finished seventh in his only 2000m start, in his first run of this season in the Group 2 Prix Guillaume d‘Ornano in France as a $7 chance. Barrier six should suit.

VERDICT: History says he can win.

11 — MILITARIZE ($7.50)

His record says he’s the best three-year-old to contest the race since Pierro finished third behind Ocean Park in the 2012 Cox Plate. Like Pierro, he was beaten in the Caulfield Guineas but he lost no admirers, reeling off the best last 600 and 200m splits of the race after working home from a hopeless position into fifth in the leader dominated race. Barrier three should suit.

VERDICT: He can give a great sight.

12 — KING COLORADO ($21)

Lightly raced three-year-old that has been going well this prep without winning. Won the JJ Atkins over a mile in June then returned and was good when finding a chequered past in the Winx Stakes before being beaten less than two lengths by Militarize in the Golden Rose and in his latest outing he produced the fifth best last 200m split in the Caulfield Guineas, finishing fourth. Barrier 10 isn’t ideal.

VERDICT: Query at the trip and needs to go to another level.

TOP 4 SELECTIONS

1st – MILITARIZE (No.11)

2nd – VICTORIA ROAD (No.10)

3rd – FANGIRL (No.8)

4th – GOLD TRIP (No.5)

Originally published as Cox Plate 2023: Runner-by-runner analysis and tips

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Original URL: https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/horse-racing/vic-racing/cox-plate-2023-runnerbyrunner-analysis-and-tips/news-story/b08fdc29af8dea1dce543097559cdd19