Cox Plate 2021 barrier draw: Winners and losers
The spring racing carnival is in full swing as we head towards Saturday’s Cox Plate, with the full field and barrier draw revealed.
The final field has been declared and barriers drawn for the $5m Cox Plate, with star import Zaaki set to jump from barrier six in the field of 10.
Punters.com.au reports the two-time Group One winner was an odds-on chance in some futures markets before suffering a shock defeat as a $1.28F in the Might And Power at Caulfield on October 9.
He will be reunited with star Sydney-based hoop James McDonald in his bid to get back to winning ways, with the Victorian government last week granting him “a domestic border exemption to enter Victoria”.
His stablemate Mo’unga has drawn perfectly in gate four.
Kiwi mare Probabeel, the four-time Group One winner who finished 1.85L ahead of Zaaki when winning the Might And Power, will jump from barrier seven in her second Cox Plate attempt, having finished a 4.5L seventh last year.
Reigning Australian Horse of the Year, Verry Elleegant, is also having her second crack at the Cox Plate.
The Chris Waller-trained mare was beaten more than 10L in 2019 but is undoubtedly a better horse now, having won seven G1s since then.
She will jump from barrier nine with Damian Lane to ride.
Craig Williams will be aiming for his third Cox Plate aboard Godolphin three-year-old Anamoe, who has drawn the widest barrier (10).
Williams was booked for the star colt following his Caulfield Guineas win, with Guineas-winning rider Damien Oliver already booked for imported galloper Gold Trip (barrier two) and unable to ride at 49.5kg.
Williams was runner-up on three-year-old Castelvecchio in 2019, with Anamoe hoping to become the first three-year-old winner since Shamus Award in 2013.
He will be joined by fellow three-year-old Captivant, who finished just 0.5L behind him in the Caulfield Guineas.
The Team Snowden-trained colt has drawn the inside alley for Dean Yendall.
Despite not having a capacity field of 14, the Moonee Valley Racing Club Committee elected not to grant Matt Smith’s Japanese import Keiai Nautique a place in the field.
No. - Horse - Trainer - Jockey - Barrier - Weight
1 - ZAAKI (GB) - Annabel Neasham - James McDonald - 6 - 59kg
2 - DALASAN - Leon Macdonald & Andrew Gluyas - Daniel Moor - 3 - 59kg
3 - GOLD TRIP (FR) - Ciaron Maher & David Eustace - Damien Oliver - 2 - 59kg
4 - CALLSIGN MAV (NZ) - John Bary - Luke Nolen - 5 - 59kg
5 - MO‘UNGA (NZ) - Annabel Neasham - Hugh Bowman - 4 - 57.5g
6 - VERRY ELLEEGANT (NZ) - Chris Waller - Damian Lane - 9 - 57kg
7 - PROBABEEL (NZ) - Jamie Richards - Brett Prebble - 7 - 57kg
8 - STATE OF REST (IRE) - Joseph O‘Brien - John Allen - 8 - 56.5kg
9 - ANAMOE - James Cummings - Craig Williams - 10 - 49.5kg
10 - CAPTIVANT - Peter & Paul Snowden - Dean Yendall - 1 - 49.5kg
This story first appeared on punters.com.au and was reproduced with permission
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