Champion mare Winx is still the short priced favourite to win her fourth Cox Plate after first acceptances were take in on Tuesday.
Winx, above in blue colours beating Humidor in green colours, in the 2017 Cox Plate at The Valley. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.
Nine international trained horse are among the 63 first acceptors for the 2018 Group 1 $5m Ladbrokes Cox Plate (2040m) at The Valley on October 27.
The Darren Weir trained Humidor at $15 at Ladbrokes.com.au remains the main rival for Winx who heads the Cox Plate market order at $1.45 while Benbatl at $21 is the best of the international contenders.
Winx has nine other Chris Waller trained stablemates still in contention for the Cox Plate while Humidor is one of seven from the Weir stable listed as first acceptors.
Winx will be chasing her fourth consecutive win in the Cox Plate after equalling the legendary Kingston Town’s record of three straight wins when she beat Humidor in the 2017 weight for age championship.
The record breaking mare kicked off her Cox Plate defence with another first up jaw dropping win in the Group 1 $500,000 Winx Stakes (1400m) at Randwick on August 18 and she will be second up this Saturday in the Group 1 $500,000 Colgate Optic White (George Main) Stakes (1600m) at Randwick.
Winx had a 1000m unofficial barrier trial win at Randwick on September 1 in preparation for the George Main Stakes and Waller has been pleased with the mare’s progress since.
“She is just constantly in the zone and everything is going to plan,’’ Waller told The Daily Telegraph.
“The jump-out last week was perfect. It was just enough to get on top of her with the four weeks between runs.
“She will love stepping up to the mile (1600m) on Saturday.’’
Humidor has also returned in fine form for his 2018 Spring Carnival campaign with a second up win in the Group 1 $1m New Zealand Bloodstock Memsie Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on September 1.
The final field for the 2018 Cox Plate will be released on Tuesday October 23.
First acceptances for the 2018 Cox Plate (2040m)
| # | Last 10 | Horse | Sex | Age | Trainer | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | x0x92834x6 | AMBITIOUS (JPN) | H | 7 | Anthony Freedman | 59kg |
| 2 | 186112×807 | ANGELUCCI (NZ) | G | 5 | Lloyd Kennewell | 59kg |
| 3 | x4205138x4 | ARBEITSAM | G | 5 | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | 59kg |
| 4 | 1x3326x11x | AVILIUS (GB) | G | 5 | James Cummings | 59kg |
| 5 | 6x1121x01x | BENBATL (GB) | H | 5 | Saeed Bin Suroor | 59kg |
| 6 | 200x22110x | BLAIR HOUSE (IRE) | G | 6 | Charlie Appleby | 59kg |
| 7 | 78x512433x | CLIFFS OF MOHER (IRE) | H | 5 | Aidan O’Brien | 59kg |
| 8 | 0x312561x1 | COMIN’ THROUGH | G | 5 | Chris Waller | 59kg |
| 9 | x533x98x06 | DANON LIBERTY (JPN) | H | 7 | Darren Weir | 59kg |
| 10 | x0x250272x | DEAUVILLE (IRE) | H | 6 | Aidan O’Brien | 59kg |
| 11 | 7x623x2x1x | EMOTIONLESS (IRE) | G | 6 | Charlie Appleby | 59kg |
| 12 | 35x135x16x | FOLKSWOOD (GB) | G | 6 | Charlie Appleby | 59kg |
| 13 | 7x28167x0x | HARLEM (GB) | G | 7 | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | 59kg |
| 14 | 12153x16x2 | HOMESMAN (USA) | G | 5 | Liam Howley | 59kg |
| 15 | 20x4184x81 | HUMIDOR (NZ) | G | 6 | Darren Weir | 59kg |
| 16 | 11x68139x4 | JON SNOW (NZ) | H | 5 | Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman | 59kg |
| 17 | 1x11111x43 | KINGS WILL DREAM (IRE) | G | 5 | Darren Weir | 59kg |
| 18 | 4x57x15x82 | MR GARCIA (GB) | G | 6 | Darren Weir | 59kg |
| 19 | 412141×213 | NIGHT’S WATCH (NZ) | G | 5 | Darren Weir | 59kg |
| 20 | 511805041x | OCEAN EMPEROR (NZ) | H | 7 | Gary Hennessy | 59kg |
| 21 | x2x115627x | ORDEROFTHEGARTER (IRE) | H | 5 | Liam Howley | 59kg |
| 22 | 3110328x2x | OUR VENICE BEACH (IRE) | H | 5 | Liam Howley | 59kg |
| 23 | 111x31x31x | PLEIN CIEL (GER) | G | 6 | Darren Weir | 59kg |
| 24 | x242630x35 | PRIZED ICON | H | 5 | Kris Lees | 59kg |
| 25 | 025x2347x8 | RADIPOLE (IRE) | G | 6 | Michael Moroney | 59kg |
| 26 | 3722x240x9 | RED EXCITEMENT | G | 9 | Gerald Ryan | 59kg |
| 27 | 611212112x | SELF SENSE | G | 8 | David Brideoake | 59kg |
| 28 | 3361x8899x | SENSE OF OCCASION | G | 8 | Kris Lees | 59kg |
| 29 | 25041x8x7x | THE TAJ MAHAL (IRE) | H | 5 | Liam Howley | 59kg |
| 30 | 30x25828x2 | TOM MELBOURNE (IRE) | G | 8 | Chris Waller | 59kg |
| 31 | 8x72x3x56x | TOSEN BASIL (JPN) | H | 7 | Darren Weir | 59kg |
| 32 | 1116×63211 | TRAP FOR FOOLS | G | 5 | Jarrod McLean | 59kg |
| 33 | 1x13714x32 | D’ARGENTO | H | 4 | Chris Waller | 57.5kg |
| 34 | 3x1111x58 | GRUNT (NZ) | H | 4 | Mick Price | 57.5kg |
| 35 | 1x6260x11x | KAONIC (NZ) | H | 4 | Chris Waller | 57.5kg |
| 36 | x11130x242 | KEMENTARI | H | 4 | James Cummings | 57.5kg |
| 37 | 741x780x00 | MIGHTY BOSS | H | 4 | Mick Price | 57.5kg |
| 38 | x31281141x | SCOTT BASE (NZ) | G | 4 | Johno Benner | 57.5kg |
| 39 | 12x1295x27 | SIEGE OF QUEBEC | H | 4 | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | 57.5kg |
| 40 | x11432x80x | SULLY (NZ) | G | 4 | Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young | 57.5kg |
| 41 | 111x1160x9 | BONNEVAL (NZ) | M | 5 | Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman | 57kg |
| 42 | 0x400521x5 | EGG TART | M | 5 | Chris Waller | 57kg |
| 43 | 7433923×39 | NETTOYER | M | 5 | Wendy Roche | 57kg |
| 44 | x222415x55 | OREGON’S DAY | M | 5 | Mick Price | 57kg |
| 45 | 73211x209x | PAYROLL | M | 6 | Shawn Mathrick | 57kg |
| 46 | x076x462x4 | SHILLELAGH (NZ) | M | 7 | Chris Waller | 57kg |
| 47 | 111x111x1x | WINX | M | 7 | Chris Waller | 57kg |
| 48 | 2x1336138x | HUNTING HORN (IRE) | H | 4 | Aidan O’Brien | 56kg |
| 49 | 213×9 | HUSH WRITER (JPN) | H | 4 | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | 56kg |
| 50 | 11x1x47x | PHARRELL (FR) | H | 4 | Jean-Claude Rouget | 56kg |
| 51 | 13x419225x | ROSTROPOVICH (IRE) | H | 4 | Aidan O’Brien | 56kg |
| 52 | 343x312x60 | HIYAAM (NZ) | M | 4 | Mick Price | 55.5kg |
| 53 | 112133115x | SAVVY COUP (NZ) | M | 4 | Michael & Matthew Pitman | 55.5kg |
| 54 | 11x0121x61 | UNFORGOTTEN | M | 4 | Chris Waller | 55.5kg |
| 55 | 11×3 | GEM SONG | C | 3 | Kris Lees | 49.5kg |
| 56 | 13310×1 | LEAN MEAN MACHINE | C | 3 | Chris Waller | 49.5kg |
| 57 | 5108×0 | NOT A SINGLE CENT | C | 3 | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace | 49.5kg |
| 58 | 11×42 | THE AUGUST | C | 3 | Brent Stanley | 49.5kg |
| 59 | 111×3 | THE AUTUMN SUN | C | 3 | Chris Waller | 49.5kg |
| 60 | 131x | THINKIN’ BIG | C | 3 | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | 49.5kg |
| 61 | 19 | ASHARANI | F | 3 | David Vandyke | 47.5kg |
| 62 | 3x4213x | EL DORADO DREAMING | F | 3 | Benjamin Smith | 47.5kg |
| 63 | 417801x3x | FUTOOH | F | 3 | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | 47.5kg |
The post Winx still the one after 2018 Cox Plate first acceptances appeared first on HorseRacing.com.au.
