Cox Plate: Money rolls in for Zaaki as vets scratch Gold Trip

Punters have launched into Cox Plate favourite Zaaki after French import Gold Trip was withdrawn from the race on veterinary advice.

Zaaki has been heavily backed to win the Cox Plate. Picture: Getty Images

Cox Plate favourite Zaaki has been heavily backed to win the $5m Group 1 at The Valley.

The Annabel Neasham-trained Zaaki firmed into $2.80 on Friday after touching $3 earlier in the day.

The contentious withdrawal of fancied French import Gold Trip also contributed to the shift.

Zaaki is responsible for a third (34 per cent) of TAB’s overall Cox Plate hold, a figure boosted on Friday after the star galloper attracted 43 per cent of all bets on the Australasian weight-for-age championship.

Godolphin colt Anamoe ($4 out to $5 back into $3.90) was the second most popular runner on Friday ahead of Verry Elleegant ($7 in to $5).

Zaaki’s stablemate Mo’unga is the long-odds mover of the field - $21 into $10 - since the barrier draw.

State Of Rest, the sole European international in the field, has admirers, hovering around the $10 mark.

Gold Trip’s withdrawal on Friday rendered the Cox Plate field without a Victorian-trained entrant.

It also denied reigning Cox Plate-winning trainers Ciaron Maher and David Eustace the chance to defend the title after the late Sir Dragonet’s triumph last year.

Australian Bloodstock-owned Gold Trip, who was inspected on Friday morning after displaying signs of lameness in two spots on Thursday.

A panel of four RV vets monitored Gold Trip at the Werribee International Horse Centre and determined the horse not suitable to contest the Cox Plate.

The panel noted the horse presented with the same level of lameness in its off-hind limb as when assessed on Thursday, but the level of lameness in its off-fore limb had increased the past 24 hours.

RV in a statement issued on Friday declared the decision to withdraw Gold Trip as “unanimous”.

Gold Trip has been scratched from the Cox Plate. Picture: Racing Photos

“A total of six veterinarians have examined Gold Trip over the past two days for RV and have been unanimous in their decision that the lameness displayed by the horse was not at an acceptable level to pass a pre-race veterinary inspection,” the statement said.

“RV Stewards, in consultation with the Ciaron Maher and David Eustace stable, have subsequently withdrawn Gold Trip from the Cox Plate acting on veterinary advice.”

The John Bary-trained Callsign Mav was cleared on Friday morning after trotting up to the satisfaction of RV vets at Flemington.

Callsign Mav will join the Danny O’Brien stable after the Cox Plate.

“The (O’Brien) stable removed the horse’s near front shoe overnight, treated the foot and replaced the shoe today with the lameness now resolved,” RV said.

The Kiwi raider, the $71 rank outsider in the Cox Plate, displayed signs of lameness in his left front leg when assessed on Thursday.

Originally published as Cox Plate: Money rolls in for Zaaki as vets scratch Gold Trip