The WS Cox Plate is one of the richest and most prestigious races in Australia, with this great event always managing to attract a top quality field. The maximum number of horses included in the final Cox Plate field each year is 14, although that relatively small number can be reduced even further in some seasons. For example, the 2008 Cox Plate field included just 12 runners.
Along with the maximum number of 14 horses, there are also 4 emergencies available should anything go wrong. While the entire Cox Plate field is in with a good chance of winning over 2040 metres, barriers 6, 7, and 11 have produced the most winners over the last 30 years . Final information about the Cox Plate field is essential for anyone who is thinking about making a bet, with general information such as sex, age, weight, barrier number, and jockey name just some of the information perused by experienced punters.
Because of the small field, this event is a favourite for some punters, who believe their chances of winning are greater. Along with reviewing the field, there are also a number of important indicator races run before the WS Cox Plate, with some of the best examples including the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas over1600m, Yalumba Stakes over 2000m and Toorak Handicap over 1600m. Earlier races to watch include the Group 1 Underwood Stakes over 1800m in September, the Group 2 Dato Tan Chin Nam Stakes over 1600m and the Group 2 Makybe Diva Stakes over 1600m.
Cox Plate 2013 Statisics:
The WS Cox Plate is one of the big three thoroughbred races in Australia, and the third richest event behind the Melbourne Cup and Golden Slipper. For many people, however, this race is the most important due to its international reputation and overall stature in the racing community. The WS Cox Plate is a weight for age event for three year olds and over, run over a distance of 2040 metres at Moonee Valley Racecourse in Melbourne.
There are lots of impressive statistics surrounding the WS Cox Plate, which has always attracted the very best names in Australian and international racing. To get a rough idea of just how important this event is in Australian racing, the winners’ list over the years includes names like Phar Lap, Kingston Town, Rising Fast, Dulcify, Gunsynd, Super Impose, Octagonal, Might and Power, Sunline, Northerly, Makybe Diva, and So You Think. From famous facts to little known oddities, lets take a closer look at “the greatest two minutes in sport”.
– The Cox Plate is the only southern hemisphere event to be included in the Emirates World Series Racing Championship, joining other great races like 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.
– The most successful barrier for the Cox Plate is 6, producing five winners in the past 30 years. The next best barriers with four winners each over the same period are 7 and 11
– No Cox Plate winners have come from barriers 8, 12 or 14 over the last 30 years.
– Only one horse has managed to win the great triple of Australian horse racing, with Rising Fast taking out the Melbourne Cup, Caulfield Cup, and Cox Plate in 1954.
– Six horses have won the Cox Plate and Melbourne Cup double over the years, Makybe Diva, Might and Power, Saintly, Nightmarch, Phar Lap, and Rising Fast.
– The favourite in the WS Cox Plate has an overall win rate of 41 percent, with those horses starting at less than $2 enjoying a 70 percent win rate.
– The shortest favourite to win the WS Cox Plate was the famous Phar Lap in 1931, who came in first at $1.07 or 14/1.
– The Cox Plate is the biggest event held at Moonee Valley Racecourse, and is held on the same day as seven Group rated events. Supporting races include the Group 2 Schweppes Stakes, Group 2 Moonee Valley Cup, Group 2 Crystal Mile, Group 2 AAMI Vase, Group 3 Inglis Mile, and Group 3 Red Anchor Stakes.
– Kingston Town will probably be remembered as the greatest Cox Plate champion, winning this event for three years in a row between 1980-83.
– The WS Cox Plate is loved by racing purists and known by many as “the greatest two minutes in sport”, with fans often calling this event the biggest test for thoroughbred horses in Australia.
Cox Plate Past results and winners:
Year Cox Plate Winners
2012 Ocean Park
2011 Pinker Pinker
2010 So You Think
2009 So You Think
2008 Maldivian
2007 El Segundo
2006 Fields Of Omagh
2005 Makybe Diva
2004 Savabeel
2003 Fields Of Omagh
2002 Northerly
2001 Northerly
2000 Sunline
1999 Sunline
1998 Might And Power
1997 Dane Ripper
1996 Saintly
1995 Octagonal
1994 Solvit
1993 The Phantom Chance
1992 Super Impose
1991 Surfers Paradise
1990 Better Loosen Up
1989 Almaarad
1988 Our Poetic Prince
1987 Rubiton
1986 Bonecrusher
1985 Rising Prince
1984 Red Anchor
1983 Strawberry Road
1982 Kingston Town
1981 Kingston Town
1980 Kingston Town
1979 Dulcify
1978 So Called
1977 Family Of Man
1976 Surround
1975 Fury’s Order
1974 Battle Heights
1973 Taj Rossi
1972 Gunsynd
1971 Tauto
1970 Abdul
1969 Daryl’s Joy
1968 Rajah Sahib
1967 Tobin Bronze
1966 Tobin Bronze
1965 Star Affair
1964 Sir Dane
1963 Summer Regent
1962 Aquanita
1961 Dhaulagiri
1960 Tulloch
1959 Noholme
1958 Yeman
1957 Redcraze
1956 Ray Ribbon
1955 Kingster
1954 Rising Fast
1953 Hydrogen
1952 Hydrogen
1951 Bronton
1950 Alister
1949 Delta
1948 Carbon Copy
1947 Chanak
1946 Leonard
1946 Flight
1945 Flight
1944 Tranquil Star
1943 Amana
1942 Tranquil Star
1941 Beau Vite
1940 Beau Vite
1939 Mosaic
1938 Ajax
1937 Young Idea
1936 Young Idea
1935 Garrio
1934 Chatham
1933 Rogilla
1932 Chatham
1931 Phar Lap
1930 Phar Lap
1929 Nightmarch
1928 Highland
1927 Amounis
1926 Heroic
1925 Manfred
1924 The Night Patrol
1923 Easingwold
1922 Violoncello
Cox Plate Prize Money
The 2013 Cox Plate will have prize money and trophies valued at almost $3 million:
1st – $1,800,000 and trophies valued at $38,000, $3,800, $3,800 and $3,800 plus $600 to owner, trainer, rider, breeder and groom
2nd – $440,000
3rd – $220,000
4th – $130,000
5th – $110,000
6th – $100,000
7th – $100,000
8th – $100,000
Latest Cox Plate 2013 news:
Two horses close to the heart of Brett Prebble will carry the jockey’s Group One hopes on Cox Plate weekend.
Prebble rides last year’s Melbourne Cup winner Green Moon in Saturday’s $3 million Cox Plate while on Friday night he partners Hong Kong sprinter Lucky Nine in the $1 million Manikato Stakes.
Prebble has won five Group One races on Lucky Nine and claimed his first Melbourne Cup on Green Moon last year.
The jockey has hopes Green Moon, who missed the Caulfield Stakes two weeks ago with an elevated temperature, is capable of winning a Cox Plate but with the proviso that it needs to be a high-pressure renewal.
“If they go fast enough he’ll be the strong one at the end,” Prebble said.
“If it’s a sit and sprint, the position he’s going to be in, it will be mathematically impossible for him to run home those sectionals. But if the race is run right, they’ll know he’s there.”
Green Moon started favourite in the Cox Plate last year on the back of a Turnbull Stakes victory but he is at $19 this time around.
Lucky Nine makes his Australian debut in the Manikato Stakes, the first of two planned Melbourne spring carnival appearances for the Hong Kong-based star.
“He’s an exciting horse,” Prebble said.
“He’s one of my favourite horses I’ve had anything to do with.”
Lucky Nine won the Singapore KrisFlyer International Sprint at his most recent start in May, defeating Aussie galloper Bel Sprinter who will be among his opposition in the Manikato.
Prebble expects Lucky Nine to make his presence felt in Melbourne, whether it be in Friday night’s race or in the VRC Sprint Classic two weeks later at Flemington.
