Vic majors take shape

The slim hopes that emerging superstar Autumn Glow would face off with Via Sistina, Sir Delius and Treasurethe Moment in the Cox Plate have been dashed, with Chris Waller’s mare not among the third acceptors for the weight-for-age championship on Tuesday.

Only 16 horses remain in the hunt, with the undefeated Epsom winner withdrawn from the race along with Fangirl, Sepals, Royal Patronage and Vinrock.

Four of the 16 are three-year-olds that will tackle Saturday’s G1 Caulfield Guineas so there is a likelihood that only one or two, or even none, will take their place against the older stars.

While it might be small on numbers, the race shapes as a typically thrilling weight-for-age contest and perhaps one of the more even in recent years, especially if the top five horses in Bet365’s market turn up.

Sir Delius is the top seed at $2.80 after his Turnbull Stakes win, just ahead of Via Sistina ($3.50), with Antino ($6), Aeliana ($7) and Treasurethe Moment ($7.50) in the market.

Horses aside, it shapes as an intriguing battle of tactics between the cream of Australia’s riding crop with McDonald, Williams, Shinn and Lane booked for the big guns.

For context, last year’s Cox Plate, which produced a win for the ages by Via Sistina, had a field of nine, while only eight faced the judge when Winx won a fourth Cox Plate in 2018.

Meanwhile, punters’ dream that Waller would pivot Aeliana’s spring goal from the Cox Plate to the Caulfield Cup hasn’t eventuated, with the ATC Derby winner withdrawn from the iconic 2400m handicap.

With the field for Saturday week’s $5 million race set to be confirmed early next week, 29 horses remain in contention, including seven for Waller and four for Ciaron Maher

Others not to feature in the third acceptances on Tuesday were Arapaho, Gilded Water, Golden Path and Sayedaty Sedaty.

Four international horses will take their place, with Meydaan ($10) the big firmer after his European form was somewhat validated by Giavelotto in Sunday’s Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.