The field for next Saturday’s Tatts Cox Plate (2040m) will be finalised on Tuesday, but Just Horse Racing understands that the field is close to determined.
Headlined by the current $1.50 favourite So You Think, a total of 10 horses are confirmed as acceptors for the weight for age championship of Australasia.
They include glamour mare More Joyous, AJC Derby winner Shoot Out, Turnbull Stakes winner Zipping and Epsom Handicap quinella Captain Sonador and Trusting.
The Mark Kavanagh-trained Whobegotyou, New Zealand’s star galloper Wall Street, Macau champion Luen Yat Forever and improving mare Avienus round out the ten acceptors.
Queries still exist over Caulfield Cup runners Descarado, Herculian Prince and Shocking.
Trainer Gai Waterhouse seemed to rule out a Cox Plate start for either of her horses, with both Descarado and Herculian Prince possibly completing their Melbourne Cup preparations on Derby Day.
It is also unlikely that last year’s Melbourne Cup winner Shocking will contest the race, with stablemate Whobegotyou to fly the flag for the Kavanagh stable.
LIKELY COX PLATE FIELD
*jockeys aren’t confirmed
1. Whobegotyou (Mark Kavanagh/Michael Rodd)
2. Zipping (Robert Hickmott/Nick Hall)
3. Wall Street (Jeff Lynds/Michael Coleman)
4. Luen Yat Forever (Steven Choi/Dwayne Dunn)
5. So You Think (Bart Cummings/Steven Arnold)
6. Shoot Out (John Wallace/Stathi Katsidis)
7. Captain Sonador (Roger Milne/Glen Boss)
8. Trusting (John Thompson/Jim Cassidy)
9. Avienus (Mark Webb/Craig Williams)
10. More Joyous (Gai Waterhouse/Nash Rawiller)
Written by Andrew Hawkins