Race Overview
The Group 1 Cox Plate is one of the most prestigious races in Australia and is contested by the leading middle-distance and staying horses.
Along with the Caulfield Cup, Golden Slipper and the race that stops a nation, the Melbourne Cup, the Cox Plate is considered one of the four ‘majors’ of Australian racing and is subsequently one of the biggest betting races of the year.
Run under Weight-For-Age conditions for horses aged 3YO and under, the race is run over 2040m at Moonee Valley in Melbourne and is widely regarded as the premier Weight-For-Age race in Australia.
With total prize money of $5 million, the Cox Plate is one of the most lucrative races in the Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival.
The Cox Plate is named after William Samuel (W.S.) Cox, who is the racing club’s founder and the winner of the inaugural race was Violoncello in 1922.
The initial purse for the inaugural race in 1922 was £1,000.
For 7 consecutive years between 1999-2005, the race was part of the Emirates World Series Racing Championship which was a global grand prix of horse racing.
The series included the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot, the Japan Cup, the Dubai World Cup, the Arlington Million, the Hong Kong Cup, the Canadian International Stakes, the Grosser Preis von Baden, the Irish Champion Stakes, the Breeders’ Cup Turf and the Breeders’ Cup Classic.
The Cox Plate always attracts a massive crowd at Moonee Valley and the largest crowd since 2003 was 44,189 in 2005.
There were no crowds permitted in 2020 and 2021 due to COVID-19 pandemic restrictions.
In 2020, the race celebrated the 100th running of the iconic race.
In addition to etching their names in the history books, the winner of the Cox Plate also earns a ballot exemption for the Melbourne Cup.
The list of former winners is littered with legendary racehorses including three-times winner Kingston Town (1980, 1981, 1982) and mighty mare Winx who won a record four consecutive races in 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018.
Prolific-winning trainer Chris Waller has won 4 of the last 7 editions of the race thanks to Winx’s four straight wins.
Other notable winners include Amounis (1927), Phar Lap (1930, 1931), Young Idea (1936, 1937), Ajax (1938), Rising Fast (1954), Tulloch (1960), Tobin Bronze (1966, 1967), Gunsynd (1972), Better Loosen Up (1990), Super Impose (1992), Octagonal (1995), Saintly (1996), Might And Power (1998), Sunline (1999, 2000), Northerly (2001, 2002), Makybe Diva (2005) and So You Think (2009, 2010).
The James Cunmmings-trained Anamoe won the race in 2023.
Form Indicators
*The last 8 winners of the Cox Plate have all been single-digit odds and only 4 winners over the last 14 editions of the race have saluted at double-digit odds.
*The most successful barrier over the last 14 years has been barrier 6 which has delivered 3 winners.
*Be wary of backing a horse in a double-digit barrier with just 3 horses in the last 14 editions of the race saluting from a double-digit barrier.
*The Cox Plate field allows for a maximum of 14 runners with 4 emergencies as determined by the Moonee Valley Racing Club Committee. Considerations include international ratings, ANZ classifications and proven Group 1 and Group 2 pedigree.
*Winners of the 2022 Feehan Stakes and the 2021 Japan Cup earn automatic entry into the Cox Plate.
*In addition to winning prize money, a $1 million bonus is available to the winner if they can win one of 6 other races including the Group 2 Feehan Stakes (1600m) and the Group 1 Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m), Underwood Stakes (1800m), Turnbull Stakes (2000m), Caulfield Guineas (1600m) and Might And Power (2000m).
When wonder mare Winx won her 4th consecutive race in 2018, she was $1.22 after starting at an even shorter price at $1.18 the year before in 2017.
*Don’t expect to see a new record race time with Better Loosen Up’s current race record time of 2:01.5 still standing since 1990.
*Take note of the short straight as Moonee Valley boasts the shortest straight in Australia at only 173m.
*7 horses in the race’s history have completed the Cox Plate/Melbourne Cup double in the same year including Rising Fast, Delta, Phar Lap, Nightmarch, Saintly, Might And Power and Makybe Diva.
*Only 3 horses have completed the Melbourne Cup/Cox Plate double after winning the Cox Plate in the year after their Melbourne Cup triumph. Those 3 horses include Phar Lap, Might And Power and Makybe Diva.
*Be wary of backing horses in early Cox Plate markets which open in the winter months before the Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival. It’s a major risk as anything can happen to a horse so far out from the race.
*Don’t discount an overseas raider taking out the Cox Plate with the Japanese-trained Lys Gracieux saluting in the prestigious race in 2019. Trained by Yoshito Yahagi and piloted by Damien Lane, Lys Gracieux charged down on the outside to run down 3YO Castelvecchio over the last furlong.
*The first 3YO filly to salute in the race was Surround who won in 197
Previous Winners
2022 – Anamoe
2021 – State Of Rest
2020 – Sir Dragonet
2019 – Lys Gracieux
2018 – Winx
2017 – Winx
2016 – Winx
2015 – Winx
2014 – Adelaide
2013 – Shamus Award
2012 – Ocean Park
2011 – Pinker Pinker
2010 – So You Think
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