A field of 10 will contest the 101st edition of Australia‘s weight-for-age championship in Saturday’s $5 million Group I Ladbrokes W.S Cox Plate (2040m) with four Kiwi breds in the line up, which also includes two entries from Europe that have intriguing pedigrees.
The two international raiders in the field are French bred Gold Trip, which has joined the Ciaron Maher and David Eustace team, and the Joseph O‘Brien-trained Irish bred contender State Of Rest.
Both internationals have a good measure of Aussie blood in their make up as Group I Saratoga Derby winner State of Rest is by Starspangledbanner, who is at Rosemont Stud this spring and Gold Trip is by Exceed and Excel’s Northern Hemisphere bred Group I winning juvenile Outstrip.
The field also has two outstanding three-year-old contenders in Caulfield Guineas winner Anamoe and runner-up Captivant.
Both Shamus Award and So You Think won their Cox Plate as three year-olds after being beaten in the Caulfield Guineas, so discount Captivant at your peril.
The field and barrier draw for the 2021 Ladbrokes W.S Cox Plate is.
No. – Horse – Sire - Trainer Barrier – Weight
1 – ZAAKI (GB) – Leroisdesanimaux - Annabel Neasham– 6 – 59kg
2 – DALASAN (AUS) – Dalakhani (IRE) Leon Macdonald & Andrew Gluyas– 3 – 59kg
3 – GOLD TRIP (FR) – Outstrip Ciaron Maher & David Eustace– 2 – 59kg
4 – CALLSIGN MAV (NZ) – Atlante - John Bary– 5 – 59kg
5 – MO‘UNGA (NZ) – Savabeel - Annabel Neasham– 4 – 57.5g
6 – VERRY ELLEEGANT (NZ) –Zed - Chris Waller– 9 – 57kg
7 – PROBABEEL (NZ) – Savabeel - Jamie Richards– 7 – 57kg
8 – STATE OF REST (IRE) – Starspangledbanner - Joseph O‘Brien - 8 – 56.5kg
9 – ANAMOE (AUS) – Street Boss (USA) - James Cummings –10 – 49.5kg
10 – CAPTIVANT (AUS) – Capitalist - Peter & Paul Snowden– 1 – 49.5kg
