Managing owner happy for Anthony and Sam Freedman to decide whether Elliptical would be competitive in Cox Plate

Owners of Caulfield Guineas runner-up Elliptical will be guided by trainers Anthony and Sam Freedman on whether to consider stumping up a hefty $200,000 late fee into the Cox Plate.

Elliptical (maroon) charged at Golden Mile late in the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas. Picture: Racing Photos

Owners of Caulfield Guineas runner-up Elliptical will be guided by trainers Anthony and Sam Freedman on whether to stump up a hefty $200,000 late fee into the Cox Plate.

Discussions will progress on Monday, based on how well the prized three-year-old son of Dundeel comes through his slashing Group 1 second.

The final late nomination fee must be paid before noon on October 17.

Elliptical’s managing owner Suman Hedge confirmed the Cox Plate is “definitely part of the reckoning” but any decision rests on feedback from team Freedman.

“We just said to the trainers see how the horse pulls up and you make a decision,” Hedge said.

“You’re only a three-year-old once and get the weight advantage, that’s a positive, and three-year-old good colts have got a fairly good record in the race.

“But watching the Might And Power there’s pretty strong older horses there, three or four of them that look very, very tough to beat.

“I’m more in the camp of letting the trainers make up those decisions because they have all the information and I think can make the most informed call.

“We won’t be putting any pressure on them to go a particular way, we’ll let them decide.”

Elliptical would need to finish in the first four of the Cox Plate to cover the $200,000 late fee.

Fifth to eighth in the Cox Plate returns $100,000 to $125,000 prizemoney.

Elliptical pierced through the field to challenge Godolphin colt Golden Mile last Saturday at Caulfield.

GOLDEN MILE WINS THE CAULFIELD GUINEAS!

That's two Group 1 wins on the day for @mcacajamez and @JamesCummings88 😮 pic.twitter.com/BUdrirMZTg

— 7HorseRacing 🐎 (@7horseracing) October 8, 2022

Anamoe won the Caulfield Guineas last year before going on to go down by a nose in the Cox Plate.

Shamus Award (2013) is the last three-year-old to win the Cox Plate, along with So You Think (2009) and Savabeel (2004).

Should connections pay the massive fee Elliptical would still need to be approved by the Moonee Valley Racing Club committee to run in the $5m race.

Elliptical ran third in a 1400m handicap at Sandown prior to his Caulfield Guineas second placing.

Hedge said having a three-year-old in a star-studded Cox Plate, featuring Anamoe, Zaaki, I’m Thunderstruck, could appeal to the committee.

“I would think they would want him there, I think it opens a different layer to the race,” Hedge said.

“We have got the established horses there, Anamoe and Zaaki, clearly the favourites in the race but to have a lightly-raced three-year-old from a betting perspective would open up the race a lot.”

Besides the Cox Plate, Elliptical has the Group 1 Spring Champion Stakes in Sydney or the Moonee Valley Vase, a feeder towards the Group 1 Victoria Derby at Flemington, as suitable fallback options.

Originally published as Managing owner happy for Anthony and Sam Freedman to decide whether Elliptical would be competitive in Cox Plate