It may still be four months away but already excitement is building for this year’s The New Zealand Bred Advantage & 2040club Cox Plate Lunch, with a cracking guest list already confirmed.
The lunch celebrates Australia’s weight for age championship, the W.S. Cox Plate, and is held the Friday before the race. This year, the lunch will fall on Friday October 21.
To be hosted once again by Melbourne’s leading media personality, Radio Sport National’s Shane Anderson, the list of special guests continues to build.
This year’s lunch will mark 25 years since what was arguably the greatest Cox Plate of them all, the “Race of the Century” between Bonecrusher and Our Waverley Star.
The jockeys of both horses, Gary Stewart and Lance O’Sullivan, will be present to mark the occasion as we pay tribute to one truly epic race.
In addition an all star panel will give you the final word before the running of this year’s Cox Plate.
They include larrikin Cox Plate winning jockey Miracle Mal Johnston, who won aboard The King, Kingston Town, in 1980. He is sure to have all guests in stitches as he recalls his rides in the race and looks ahead to this year’s edition.
He’ll be joined once again by the darling of international racing, the incredible Francesca Cumani. Daughter of trainer Luca, who has been a major factor during the Melbourne Spring Carnival in recent years, Francesca has made her own mark on the Carnival. She is in high demand come spring and we are delighted to welcome her back.
Tom Waterhouse will be present once more to give his thoughts on the great race. The son of Sydney’s queen of racing, trainer Gai Waterhouse, he is a fourth generation bookmaker. The name Waterhouse is synonymous with the Australian turf and it is only fitting that he is a member of our panel.
Tickets are on sale now for what promises to be the most spectacular social event of the Spring Carnival.
Written by Andrew Hawkins
