The field and all-important barrier draw for the 2021 Cox Plate

The $5m 2021 Cox Plate field has been finalised with the former Japanese galloper Keiai Nautique failing to get past the MVRC committee and only 10 runners will now face the starter on Saturday.

Zaaki (left) and Mo'unga goes through their paces at the Breakfast With The Best trackwork session at The Valley on Tuesday. Picture: George Sal–Getty Images

A field of 10 will contest the 101st edition of Australia‘s weight-for-age championship in Saturday’s $5 million Group I Ladbrokes W.S Cox Plate (2040m).

On Tuesday morning a field of 10 runners was declared for Australia’s greatest weight-for-age race.

The Moonee Valley Racing Club committee met at 8.30am to finalise the field, making the decision to eliminate the Matthew Smith-trained Keiai Nautique from the field while connections of three-year-old Forget You chose not to accept, deciding instead to run in the Moonee Valley Vase (2040m).

In 2021 there will be two international raiders in the field, Gold Trip, which has joined the Ciaron Maher and David Eustace team, and the Joseph O‘Brien-trained State Of Rest.

The field also has two three-year-olds, Caulfield Guineas winner Anamoe and runner-up Captivant.

The first horse drawn in the 2021 Cox Plate was Mo’unga while the favourite Zaaki was the fourth name drawn and his connections chose barrier 6, the draw that launched the ill-fated Sir Dragonet to victory last year.

Star three-year-old colt Anamoe was the last runner to be allocated a barrier.

The Valley track was rated a good (4) on Tuesday morning with showers predicted on Friday (80% chance of 2-6mm) and Saturday (90% chance of 2-5mm).

Craig Williams puts Anamoe through his paces at the Breakfast With The Best trackwork session at The Valley on Tuesday. Photo: George Sal/Getty Images.

The field and barrier draw for the 2021 Ladbrokes W.S Cox Plate is.

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

Originally published as The field and all-important barrier draw for the 2021 Cox Plate