The W.S. Cox Plate is a prestigious Group 1 thoroughbred horse race held at Moonee Valley racecourse in Melbourne. Run every year in October and raced over a distance of 2040 metres, the Cox Plate has been one of Australia’s favourite races since its inception in 1922. With over $5 million of prize money up for grabs, the Cox Plate always manages to attract a very high quality field.
The Cox Plate is the second richest horse race in Australia, behind only the Melbourne Cup in terms of prize money. The Cox Plate is a weight-for-age race and a popular event for punters around the country. Like all horse races, picking a winner can be difficult, although a few tips can often give you an advantage. The Cox Plate is often dubbed as a purist horse race however, and the shear quality of the field can make it difficult to come up with an edge.
Lead up events always play a big role in form education, and the Cox Plate is no different in this regard. The Yalumba Stakes is often a good lead up event for the Cox Plate, due to its Group 1 status and history. Some of the other events to watch out for as possible form guides for the Cox Plate include the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m) and the Toorak Handicap (1600m).
Earlier races to watch include the Group 1 Underwood Stakes (1800m), the Group 2 Dato Tan Chin Nam Stakes (1600m), and the Group 2 Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m). However, almost every lead up event is relevant for the Cox Plate, something that can be frustrating for punters.
In general, quality and overall form will determine the winner on the day, with things like barriers and weight only having minor significance. The field for this event is always so strong that a case could be made for just about every runner in the stalls. For this reason, it is often a good idea to stay away from speculative advice and conduct your own research into the horses involved.