Saturday’s Cox Plate field was dealt a cruel blow on Friday night when Turnbull Stakes winner Sir Delius was ruled out of the Melbourne spring by Racing Victoria Stewards, who acted on advice of independent vets after scans deemed the horse at ‘heightened risk of injury’.
That ruling will be critiqued, debated and discussed for weeks to come but has meant that the field for this year’s Cox Plate won’t feature a runner trained by racing icon Gai Waterhouse and her co-trainer Adrian Bott.
Other runners from the Turnbull will be there though with Antino, Aeliana and Via Sistina all running in the race on Saturday.
Hugh Bowman will fly in to ride Aeliana, for his old mate Chris Waller as he looks for a 5th Cox Plate win.
James McDonald will ride Via Sistina, is looking at four straight Cox Plates and will spin the defending champion around The Valley on Tuesday morning for ‘Breakfast With The Best’.
Mark Zahra has secured the ride on the other Chris Waller runner Buckaroo, as it was determined that Caulfield Guineas winner Autumn Boy would head to the paddock.
Nepotism is the lone confirmed three-year-old in the field, with Sydney young gun Zac Lloyd to ride at the 49.5kgs.
He may be joined by Godolphin’s Observer, with connections still weighing up a decision to pay a $100,000 late acceptance fee for the race or run him in Saturday’s Vase at 2040m against his own age.
Matt Laurie has confirmed that he’ll run his mare Treasurethe Moment, with Damian Lane sticking aboard the VRC Oaks winner from last year.
Might And Power Stakes winner Globe, Australian Cup winner Light Infantry Man and the ever-consistent Attrition will also run in the famous race.
Ben Melham will ride Globe, Ethan Brown is on Light Infantry Man, whilst no rider is booked for Attrition as yet, with connections weighing up who to book.
Tom Kitten won’t back up after his run in yesterday’s King Charles Stakes.
Adelaide River and Middle Earth also won’t be there, after finishing down the track in the Caulfield Cup.
COX PLATE 2040m, Group 1, Weight-For-Age
ANTINO (T Gollan) B Shinn
ATTRITION (M Freedman)
BUCKAROO (C Waller) M Zahra
LIGHT INFANTRY MAN (C Maher) E Brown
GLOBE (M Price & M Kent Jnr) B Melham
VIA SISTINA (C Waller) J McDonald
AELIANA (C Waller) H Bowman
TREASURETHE MOMENT (M Laurie) D Lane
NEPOTISM (M, W & J Hawkes) Z Lloyd
OBSERVER (C Maher) *Not confirmed, has to pay $100,000 late acceptance fee.
Saturday also sees Group 1 racing in Sydney with the running of the Spring Champion Stakes at Randwick.
Dulcify Stakes winner Attica is at the top of the market with Gloaming Stakes winner Shangri La Boy.
Iron filly Within The Law will likely back up here, with Jason Collett to ride.
Other key runners include The Pearls, Federalist and San Giovanni.
SPRING CHAMPION STAKES, 2000m, Group 1, 3yo’s, Set Weights
ATTICA (J Pride)
SHANGRI LA BOY (G Waterhouse & A Bott)
SAN GIOVANNI (M Freedman)
CHAMPAGNE HERO (G Waterhouse & A Bott)
MASTER OF THE AIR (C Waller)
CRUSADER VOYAGE (C Waller) T Clark
FEDERALIST (M, W & J Hawkes)
THE PEARLS (C Waller)
DESIREE DIVA (M & D Kearney)
WITHIN THE LAW (B Baker) J Collett
Friday night sees the running of the $500,000 Group 2 Moonee Valley Cup over 2500m.
The race will see a competitive field assembled but no standout at first glance.
Herbert Power Stakes winner Brayden Star will run here with Craig Williams aboard.
Other likely runners include Smokin’ Romans, Torranzino, Athabascan and Berkshire Breeze.
Lots of horses entered in the Geelong Cup, will also be in the nominations here like Grand Pierro and Fernao. However, Gilded Water will likely run at Geelong and bypass this race.
Young Werther heads to the Bendigo Cup and so likely does Interpretation.
MOONEE VALLEY CUP, 2500m, Group 2, Set Weights & Penalties, 4yo Up
ATHABASCAN (J O’Shea & T Charlton)
BERKSHIRE BREEZE (C Maher)
BRAYDEN STAR (T Busuttin & N Young) C Williams
CHANGINGOFTHEGUARD (K Lees) E Brown
CLEVELAND (K Lees) E Brown
FERNAO (A & R Archibald) J Stanley
GRAND PIERRO (J Warren)
HEZASHOCKA (M Price & M Kent Jnr)
SMOKIN’ ROMANS (C Maher) B Melham
SO YOU ARE (S Osland)
TORRANZINO (P Preusker) C Gaudray
WHISKY ON THE HILL (G Thompson) D Lane
On Saturday, the running of the Moonee Valley Vase will take place. This race is always a key lead up to the Victoria Derby, and this year looks no different.
Super Impose Stakes winner Options runs here for Caulfield Cup winning combination Tony and Calvin McEvoy. He could be joined by another Godolphin galloper in Observer if connections opt to dodge the Cox Plate. Mark Zahra will take the ride on the Caulfield Guineas placegetter, if he runs here.
Chris Waller runs Providence, who has been floated to Melbourne, and James McDonald has been booked to ride him.
MOONEE VALLEY VASE, 2040m, Group 2, 3yos, Set Weights
OBSERVER (C Maher) M Zahra
OPTIONS (T & C McEvoy) H Coffey
HIGHVOL (N Ryan) J Mott
KAKKOII (T Busuttin & N Young)
PROVIDENCE (C Waller) J McDonald
SIRIUSLY HOT (C Maher)
SAVISANTA (C Waller)
ZORB (A Alexander)
The Crystal Mile is looking like a small field with Group 1 winner Pinstriped and the in form Oh Too Good headlining the race.
Golden Path drops back in trip from the Turnbull Stakes here and gets the services of Blake Shinn.
CRYSTAL MILE, 1600m, Group 2, Set Weights & Penalties, 3yo Up
GOLDEN PATH (M Price & M Kent Jnr) B Shinn
OH TOO GOOD (K Daffy) D Lane
EL ROCKO (J McArdle) J Mott
REGAL AZMON (P Stokes)
PINSTRIPED (E Jusufovic)
SHADIZI (C Waller)
RUMBLED AGAIN (M Trotter) L Neindorf
VON HAUKE (C Brown)
One of the other features on the day at Moonee Valley is the McEwen Stakes at 1200m. The Group 2 contest is headlined by last start Group one winners Charm Stone and Reserve Bank, with Blake Shinn aboard the Manikato winner and James McDonald riding The Goodwood winner for Mick Price Racing.
Schillaci Stakes runner up Tropicus is likely to run here and as is the talented Niance.
MCEWEN STAKES, 1200m, Group 2, Weight-For-Age
TROPICUS (A & S Freedman) D Lane
QUEMAN (S & C Oxlade)
JIGSAW (C McDonald)
RESERVE BANK (M Price & M Kent Jnr) J McDonald
REGAL ZEUS (J McArdle)
CHARM STONE (M Price & M Kent Jnr) B Shinn
NIANCE (G Begg) J Childs
EXTRATWO (C Maher)
Manaal, Miss Roumbini and Stefi Magnetica have gained an invite into Saturday’s The Invitation at Randwick for the mares.
Adam Hyeronimus will ride Miss Roumbini whilst Jason Collett is aboard Stefi Magnetica.
*All Predicted Fields are indicative only and subject to change.
