The 2020 Ladbrokes Cox Plate is here! A few weeks ago it looked as though Russian Camelot had a stranglehold on the race, but a surprise defeat in the Caulfield Stakes and a tricky barrier draw have thrown the race right open.
We have analysed every single runner in the field and our complete 2020 Cox Plate tips are below.
Kolding
Kolding has returned to his brilliant best during his 2020 Spring Racing Carnival campaign and he is deserving of his place in the Ladbrokes Cox Plate field.
Kolding upstaged Verry Elleegant to win the George Main Stakes over 1600 metres and he had no issues with the step-up to 2000 metres in the Hill Stakes.
The issue with Kolding in the Cox Plate is his poor record in Melbourne.
He was awful in Melbourne during the Autumn Racing Carnival and there is some query over how he will handle the tight-turning circuit at The Valley.
$16 represents a touch of value.
Humidor
The old boy Humidor is back for his third crack at the Ladbrokes Cox Plate after finishing second behind Winx in 2017 and third behind the great mare a year later.
Retirement looked the likely option for Humidor when he failed to fire during the Perth Summer Racing Carnival, but he has bounced back to his best under the care of Chris Waller.
Humidor earnt his place in the Ladbrokes Cox Plate field with a win in the Ladbrokes Feehan Stakes and he followed that up with placings in the Underwood Stakes and the Caulfield Stakes.
I’m not sure that Humidor can turn-the-tables on the likes of Arcadia Queen and Russian Camelot, but it wouldn’t surprise to see him run better than his current odds suggest.
Fierce Impact
Fierce Impact claimed another Group 1 victory with a tough win over Russian Camelot in the Makybe Diva Stakes, but he was no match for Kolding in the Hill Stakes over 2000 metres.
He has won over 2000 metres in the past, but there is little doubt that he is better suited over a mile.
I’m not sure that he has the class to win a Ladbrokes Cox Plate of this quality over 2000 metres.
Master Of Wine
Master Of Wine is on the quick back-up after he finished a flat tenth in the Caulfield Cup last weekend.
I have always been of the opinion that Master Of Wine isn’t as good as the hype suggests and I haven’t changed that opinion after his run in the Caulfield Cup.
He is one of the outsiders in Cox Plate betting for a reason.
Mugatoo
Mugatoo has the chance to become the first horse since Saintly in 1996 to win the Cox Plate after running in The Metropolitan.
The imported stayer showed his class when he won the Winter Challenge in the Spring and he followed that up with victories in the Premiers Cup and Newcastle Cup.
He was beaten by Mirage Dancer in The Metropolitan and connections are adamant that he is better suited over 2000 metres.
I don’t disagree and I think that he is a better chance than his current Cox Plate odds suggest.
Aspetar
Aspetar is one of the value runners in Ladbrokes Cox Plate betting.
He was already a Group 1 winner in Germany, but he has gone to another level in Europe this season.
Aspetar wasn’t beaten far in the Gala Stakes at Sandown Park and there was plenty to like about his win in the York Stakes.
The Al Kazeem gelding maps to get a lovely run in transit from barrier three and he does have a strong turn-of-foot.
Sir Dragonet
Sir Dragonet has joined the Ciaron Maher and David Eustace stable after starting his career with Aidan O’Brien.
He failed to win a race in Europe this season, which included a second place finish behind emergency Buckhurst in the Alleged Stakes, but he did finish second behind Magical at Group 1 level in the Tattersalls Gold Cup.
I don’t think that Sir Dragonet is as good as some of the other international runners in this field and I am happy to take him on at the current price.
Magic Wand
Magic Wand is a much better chance than her current Ladbrokes Cox Plate odds suggest.
She isn’t the most consistent mare in the world, but she is capable of producing a spike rating on her day and we saw that when she won the Mackinnon Stakes 12 months ago.
Magic Wand won the Lanwades Stud Stakes in Curragh in dominant fashion earlier this year and she followed that up with a more than credible effort in the Coral-Eclipse.
Mark Zahra will be able to ride her aggressively and the fact that she has had success in Australia in the past is a big bonus.
Arcadia Queen
It may have come a year too late, but it is great to see Arcadia Queen in the Ladbrokes Cox Plate.
Arcadia Queen had a disrupted start to her Spring campaign and the jury was out when she finished second behind Pretty Brazen in the Let’s Elope Stakes after failing to fire in the P.B. Lawrence Stakes.
She returned to a semblance of her best form with a third place finish in the Underwood Stakes and she turned the Cox Plate market on her head when she beat Russian Camelot in the Caulfield Stakes.
There is no doubt that she had the race run to suit her in the Caulfield Stakes, but there was still plenty to like about the way that she found the line and her last 200 metres was the best of the day.
Is she as good as some of the international horses in this field?
I am not convinced, but I do think that she is the best of the local chances.
Nettoyer
Nettoyer looks outclassed against this level of company in the Ladbrokes Cox Plate.
She was able to score a maiden Group 1 victory in the Doncaster Mile earlier this year, but her form this Spring has been fairly lacklustre.
Nettoyer failed to beat home a runner in the Epsom Handicap and she failed to win a fairly lacklustre edition of the Craven Plate.
She is one of the outsiders in this field for a reason.
Russian Camelot
Russian Camelot is currently on top of Ladbrokes Cox Plate betting, but I am happy to take him on at his current price.
He looked to be the next weight-for-age superstar when he won the Underwood Stakes in classy fashion, but the shine has come off him somewhat when he was beaten by Arcadia Queen in the Caulfield Stakes.
There were some excuses to be made for Russian Camelot in the Caulfield Stakes, but I still think that Arcadia Queen is the horse to follow coming out of that contest.
When you then factor in the internationals, I can’t get Russian Camelot as short as his current quote.
Armory
Armory is the horse to beat in the 2020 Ladbrokes Cox Plate.
We have seen Aidan O’Brien have plenty of success with Northern Hemisphere three-year-olds in Australia in the past and Armory has a great profile for this race.
He made a slow start to his season, but he returned to winning form with a win in the Royal Whip Stakes and he finished a gallant third behind Magical and Ghaiyyath in the Irish Champion Stakes.
Armory has shown plenty of tactical versatility during his racing career to date and Ben Melham will have plenty of options from barrier six in the early stages of this contest.
Probabeel
Probabeel has the chance to follow in the footsteps of Winx and complete the Epsom Handicap/Cox Plate double.
There was plenty of merit in her victory in her Epsom Handicap victory and it is no real surprise that she has been well-backed in early Cox Plate betting.
This is only her second chance at 2000 metres and that is the only real query on her in the Ladbrokes Cox Plate.
She wasn’t disgraced when she finished second behind Shout The Bar in the Vinery Stud Stakes in the Autumn, but there will be a completely different level of pressure in the Ladbrokes Cox Plate.
Grandslam
Three-year-olds traditionally run well in the Ladbrokes Cox Plate, but I am happy to be against Grandslam in this year’s race.
His lead-up form to the Caulfield Guineas was only plain and he proved no match for Ole Kirk and Aysar in the concluding stages of the race.
Jye McNeil will ride him aggressively and give his rivals something to chance, but I doubt he has the class to win a Ladbrokes Cox Plate.
Buckhurst
Buckhurst was denied a place in the Ladbrokes Cox Plate field after he finished seventh in the Caulfield Cup last weekend.
Buckhurst has form around Sir Dragonet, but he does look a level behind the likes of Armory and Aspetar.
Cox Plate Tip
12. Armory at $6.00