| What | 2024 Cox Plate |
| Where | Moonee Valley Racecourse – Melbourne, Victoria |
| When | Saturday, October 26, 2024 |
| Prizemoney | $5,000,000 |
| Distance | 2040m |
| Status | Group 1 |
| Conditions | Weight-For-Age |
| 2023 Winner | Romantic Warrior (7) | Trainer: Danny Shum | Jockey: James McDonald (59kg) |
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The Group 1 Cox Plate (2040m) is finally upon us, and a small but select field of nine will duke it out in arguably the best two minutes in sport each year in the country. Can Pride Of Jenni continue or domination of the weight-for-ranks? Can Godolphin’s three-year-old Broadsiding etch his name into the record books? Or can one of the two internationals in Prognosis or Docklands spoil the party? It shapes as one of the more intriguing Cox Plate’s in some time.
Japanese raider Prognosis heads the market at a $3 quote with horse racing bookmakers bringing some strong international form lines to Moonee Valley. Despite a mishap at track work during the week, Via Sistina ($4.40) holds the second line of betting, whilst Pride Of Jenni ($4.60) will look to cap a sensational 12 months with victory in Australasia’s weight-for-age championship. Broadsiding ($6) and Mr Brightside ($8) are the only other runners under $10, with upwards of $17 available for the remainder of the field.
Keep reading for HorseBetting’s full runner-by-runner preview and $100 betting strategy for the 2024 Cox Plate.
1. Mr Brightside (2)
7yo Gelding | T: Ben, Will & JD Hayes | J: Craig Williams (59kg)
He was nosed out by Romantic Warrior in this race 12 months ago, but at the third time of asking, Mr Brightside looks the goods heading into the 2024 Cox Plate. The seven-year-old gelding has not finished further back than second in his four starts this campaign but does need to go to a whole new level to be winning on the weekend. However, in his latest clash with Pride Of Jenni, Mr Brightside had to do all the work when chasing and that just isn’t his best chance of beating the mare. He draws barrier two and looks set to have something to stalk and follow into the home turn. From there, if Mr Brightside is anywhere near his best, he can make up the ground on Jenni and reign supreme whilst holding out the rest of his rivals.
2. Prognosis (5)
7yo Horse | T: Mitsumasa Nakauchida | J: Damian Lane (59kg)
It is easy to be against Prognosis, purely at the $3 quote. He is first-up on these shores and has to navigate his way around the unique Moonee Valley circuit against some of the best horse flesh this country has to offer. The seven-year-old arguably should have beaten Romantic Warrior earlier in the year when they clashed in Hong Kong, which stands out like a sore thumb in a race like this. He will be at the rear of the field and will enjoy the pressure that Pride Of Jenni will put into the race a long way out from home. He may just be too good, but he looks like a favourite punters can take on.
3. Kovalica (9)
5yo Gelding | T: Chris Waller | J: Mark Zahra (59kg)
Kovalica has not tasted success since winning the 2023 Queensland Derby (2400m) and simply looks up against based on how he has been travelling this campaign. The Chris Waller-trained stayer is apparently using this as a lead-up to the Melbourne Cup, so look for him to be hitting the line strongly as usual. A few of these, however, should have his measure.
4. Royal Patronage (3)
6yo Horse | T: Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | J: Michael Dee (59kg)
Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott could throw a spanner into the works as natural front-runner New Endeavour looks to try and match Pride Of Jenni’s early speed and try and break his rivals’ hearts. However, the son of Wootton Bassett may find a few of his rivals a touch too strong for him late, especially if he and Jenni are at each others throats from the get go.
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5. Docklands (1)
5yo Horse | T: Harry Eustace | J: Blake Shinn (59kg)
The second of the internationals is the Harry Eustace-trained Docklands. The five-year-old was last seen finishing 11.5 lengths off City Of Troy in Group 1 company, arguably one of the best horses going around in Europe, if not the world. He draws perfectly in barrier one and should enjoy the breakneck tempo that Pride Of Jenni and New Endeavour set up. He is first-up off the plane, similar to Prognosis, but if Docklands is anywhere near his best, he is one who can find his way into the back end of the placings but is unlikely to be winning.
6. Pride Of Jenni (7)
7yo Mare | T: Ciaron Maher | J: Declan Bates (57kg)
All eyes on the Cox Plate will be on Pride Of Jenni early on. The seven-year-old mare brings pure excitement to her races with the way she looks to break up the field and be a dozen lengths in front and see if her rivals can run her down. Ceolwulf managed to overhaul her last weekend over 1600m in the King Charles III Stakes at Randwick, with the superstar mare seemingly out on her feet with 300m to go after being pressured early on. If she is pressured early by someone like New Endeavour, she will be taking small steps late, but if Jenni and Declan Bates are afforded to do as they please out in front, she will be extremely hard to run down.
7. Via Sistina (4)
7yo Mare | T: Chris Waller | J: James McDonald (57kg)
Having dumped James McDonald at track work on Tuesday, Via Sistina will no doubt be rock hard fit after doing several unplanned laps of The Valley in the aftermath. Via Sistina was a determined winner of the Turnbull Stakes (2000m) last time out and got the better of Caulfield Cup runner-up Buckaroo in the concluding stages in doing so. Much like Mr Brightside, she will need something to cart her into the race, but if she is afforded that luxury, Via Sistina will be fighting out the finish.
8. Broadsiding (8)
3yo Colt | T: James Cummings | J: Jamie Kah (49.5kg)
Broadsiding is without a doubt the best three-year-old in the country and for the first time, gets to test himself at weight-for-age level. He finished fourth in the Caulfield Guineas, beaten 1.3 lengths on a day where it favoured those up on speed, but everything else he has put forward since the end of the Sydney autumn to now, suggests he is more than capable of winning the Cox Plate. The Too Darn Hot colt goes around with just 49.5kg on his back, and as long as he can handle the breakneck tempo at his first crack longer than the mile, his class will have him in the finish. Broadsiding could potentially etch himself into equine history as a three-year-old winner of the Cox Plate.
9. Evaporate (6)
3yo Gelding | T: Ben, Will & JD Hayes | J: Karis Teetan (49.5kg)
Moonee Valley is certainly a horses for courses track, and considering Evaporate has three wins from as many starts at the track, he may just be worth an each-way ticket. The Per Incanto progeny beat home Broadsiding in the Caulfield Guineas and was arguably the better run of the two despite racing against the track bias. With just 49.5kg on his back under Karis Teetan, he will likely be “close” to the lead in terms of position in running. If he is within striking range at the 600m, Evaporate looks to have a bit of an x-factor about him, despite being a $23 chance.
2024 Cox Plate selections & best bets
- 1
MR BRIGHTSIDE
- 8
BROADSIDING
- 6
PRIDE OF JENNI
- 7
VIA SISTINA
| $100 betting strategy | |
|---|---|
| $100 Win | Mr Brightside (1) @ +700 with Neds |
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