Cox Plate News

Commitee face tough task for final Plate field

John Bary, trainer of Jimmy Choux, will be a guest at the 2011 New Zealand Bred Advantage & 2040club Cox Plate Lunch.

A number of clues as to the makeup of the likely field for the $3m Tatts Cox Plate (2040m) emerged Sunday.

As it stands, it appears there will be at least sixteen acceptors for Australia’s weight for age championship.

There is a maximum field size of fourteen runners, with four emergencies.

Of the sixteen acceptors, eleven can be considered definite runners.

These are last start Caulfield Stakes winner Descarado, Turnbull Stakes runner up Glass Harmonium, Caulfield Guineas winner Helmet, Rosehill Guineas winner Jimmy Choux, Memsie Stakes winner King’s Rose, Underwood Stakes winner Lion Tamer, Kingston Town Classic winner Playing God, Dato Tan Chin Nam Stakes winner Rekindled Interest, Epsom Handicap winner Secret Admirer, AJC Derby winner Shamrocker and Stradbroke Handicap winner Sincero.

The other five acceptors will fight for three positions.

These are Caulfield Stakes placegetter Avienus, one time Melbourne Cup and Victoria Derby winner Efficient, Epsom Handicap runner up Pinker Pinker, Emirates Stakes winner Wall Street and last year’s Thousand Guineas winner Yosei.

Caulfield Cup winner Southern Speed is still a possible acceptor, but is more likely to head to the Mackinnon Stakes on Derby Day.

The field is decided at the discretion of the Moonee Valley Racing Club committee, with a number of factors – including international ratings, current form and Group 1 wins – among considerations when picking the top 14.

Although the committee has been known to exclude horses without a Group 1 victory next to their name in the past, there has been a more relaxed approach adopted in recent times.

This almost ensures a full field for this year’s Cox Plate.

The final field will be announced on Tuesday morning, with the barrier draw to take place shortly afterwards.