Cox Plate

The Cox Plate is a prestigious Group 1 race for three year old horses and above. Held under weight for age conditions, the Cox Plate has been run annually at Moonee Valley Racecourse in Melbourne since 1922. A number of quality horses have won this event throughout its long and distinguished history, including names like Phar Lap, Sunline, Northerly, and Kingston Town.

Pinker Pinker winning the 2011 Tatts Cox Plate (Group 1) at Moonee Valley - photo by Race Horse Photos Australia

The Cox Plate is run over a distance of 2040 metres, with $3 million in prize money up for grabs. The prestige of this event has certainly grown over the years, with the first ever victor in 1922, Violoncello, taking home 1000 pounds. The Cox Plate is strategically placed on the racing calendar between the Caulfield Cup, Victoria Derby, and Melbourne Cup, which is another reason why it has become such an important event.

Ever since its inauguration, the Cox Plate has been acknowledged as one of the classic events in international horse racing. While almost all winners of the Cox Plate have come from Australia and New Zealand, “the greatest two minutes in sport” is often acknowledged as one of the classic international races. Two of the most memorable moments in Cox Plate history include the brilliant seven length win by Sunline in 2000 and the dominance shown by champion Kingston Town by winning three Cox Plates in a row in the early eighties.

Since 1999, the Cox Plate has been included alongside other great races in the World Series, joining the Japan Cup, the Hong Kong International Cup, Arlington Million in the USA, the Canadian International, the Breeders Cup Turf and Breeders Cup Classic in the USA, the Irish Champion Stakes, the Grosser Preis Von Baden in Germany, and the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes at Ascot in the UK.

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Cox Plate 2013

The 2013 Cox Plate is likely to be bigger and better than ever, with organisers continuing to attract international interest in “the greatest two minutes in sport”. The Cox Plate 2013 will be held this year on Saturday, October 26, along with a range of Listed and Group events. It is also proceeded by the Manikato Stakes the night before on Friday, October 25, as well as the Barrier Draw Breakfast and Ladies Fashion Luncheon on Wednesday, October 23.

Cox Plate Betting

The Cox Plate is one of the most popular racing events in Australia, with a strong international reputation and growing support in the Australian racing community. While still not as popular as betting on the Melbourne Cup, there are more bets placed on the Cox Plate each year. The Cox Plate is known to be a purist racing event, something that can scare off casual and beginning punters. However, with a few tips from our Cox Plate Betting page, anyone can enjoy a punt on this great event.

Cox Plate Odds

Casual punters are often scared by the term odds and what they represent. However, the system of odds employed by bookmakers is really quite simple once you get your head around the basic terminology. Just like other racing events, Cox Plate odds are the individual prices offered for each horse when making a bet. The odds on offer are dependent on the type of bet being made and the likelihood of success. Horses with short odds are believed to be more likely to succeed, with bets on outsiders offering more money in exchange for a reduced chance of success.

General Cox Plate Tips

Everyone wants a hot tip when it gets close to race day, and there are normally more than a few experts happy to oblige. Getting a useful tip for the Cox Plate can be difficult however, with bookmakers and self styled racing gurus not always on your side. While the official field for the Cox Plate will not be known for some time, there are a few basic things to keep in mind when putting your money down on any horse racing event. The Cox Plate is an exciting day for punters, and a few basic Cox Plate tips can go a long way.

Cox Plate Racecourse

The Cox Plate takes place at Moonee Valley Racecourse, which is located about 6 kilometres from the Melbourne CBD. Moonee Valley has hosted a number of thoroughbred racing events over the years, and is the only metropolitan race track in the country to have night time racing. The Manikato Stakes is held on the eve of the Cox Plate under lights, with a special atmosphere always on offer. The Moonee Valley track is a tight anti-clockwise course with a circumference of 1805 metres and a short straight of only 173 metres.

Cox Plate Carnival

Like many of the world’s biggest races, the Cox Plate has become bigger than a single race event. The Cox Plate Carnival also includes the Barrier Draw Breakfast on the Wednesday before the Saturday race, with the Ladies Fashion Luncheon also held on this day. Manikato Stakes Night is held on the eve of the Cox Plate, an exciting evening of racing under lights. The Cox Plate itself is held on the Saturday, along with a range of Listed and Group racing events.

Cox Plate Fashion

While it may not be as popular with the general public as the Melbourne Cup, the international reputation of the Cox Plate is helping it become one of the biggest sporting events in Australia. It is not all about the racing however, with a number of dining, entertainment, and fashion events also a big part of the Cox Plate Carnival. The Cox Plate Fashion Luncheon is held on the Wednesday before the big race, with a number of dining options and the chance to look at some of the best fashions for the spring and summer ahead.

Cox Plate Prize Money

The Cox Plate is one of the richest and most prestigious races on the Australian calendar. This event is also increasingly attracting the attention of international horses, thanks in large part to the massive amount of prize money on offer. There is over $3 million in Cox Plate prize money on the table for the 2013 Cox Plate, including over $50,000 worth of trophies for the people involved with the winning horse.

Cox Plate Barrier Draw

Like all big horse racing events, barrier draws can make a big difference to the final outcome. While the importance of barrier draws in the Cox Plate is debatable due to the long distance of the event, the tight corners of the Moonee Valley track often make for pushy conditions. Barriers for the Cox Plate are announced at the Cox Plate Barrier Draw Breakfast, a special event which takes place on the Wednesday before the big race in October.

Cox Plate Internationals

The Cox Plate enjoys a fantastic international reputation, more so than even the famous Melbourne Cup. The Cox Plate became part of the Racing World Series in 1999, and is still the only southern hemisphere race in what is a very impressive list. The organisers of the Cox Plate are increasingly making efforts to attract the attention of international horses, with more runners from Europe, America, and Asia likely in the coming years. View our Cox Plate Internationals page.

Cox Plate Results

The Cox Plate is the best Weight For Age race in Australasia. The Cox Plate is a tough rough and usually the toughest and best horse in the race will win it. Last years winner of the Cox Plate was Pinker Pinker ridden by Craig Williams. We have a look at the Cox Plate results and information.

Cox Plate Tips

Picking a Cox Plate winner isn’t easy. Often the Cox Plate Field is very even with nearly every horse entered in the race done so because it has a good chance of winning. We give you some information on what you should look for when choosing your Cox Plate Tips.

Cox Plate Field

The Cox Plate Field consists of fourteen runners and four emergencies. The Cox Plate is run over 2040m at Moonee Valley racecourse which is hosted by the Moonee Valley Racing Club.

Cox Plate Facts

We take a look at some Cox Plate Facts including when the first Cox Plate was run, which horses have won the Cox Plate/Melbourne Cup double and which horse has been the only horse to win the Cox Plate three years in row. If you would like to know the answers to these questions be sure to checkout our facts page.

 Cox Plate past winners

The Cox Plate has been run since 1922, we take a look at the previous winners of the Cox Plate on our Cox Plate past winners page.