| What | Cox Plate Day 2021 |
| Where | Moonee Valley Racecourse – 1 McPherson St, Moonee Ponds VIC 3039 |
| When | Saturday, October 23, 2021 |
| First Race | 12:15pm AEDT |
| Feature Race | Group 1 Cox Plate – Race 9 |
| Watch Live | |
|
Streaming Live at Sportsbet |
|
A bumper 10-part card is scheduled on Saturday afternoon for Cox Plate Day, and HorseBetting’s Victorian horse racing analyst presents his race-by-race preview, best bets and free quaddie numbers for the Moonee Valley meeting. The rail remains in the true position and the track is rated a Good 4; however, with rain forecast on Friday night, we expect to be racing on a Soft 6. The action is set to kick off at 12:15pm AEDT.
Race 1: Inglis Banner (1000m)
Cox Plate Day kicks off with the traditional Inglis Banner over 1000m for the two-year-olds. Outside of The Wizard King and Yakutsk, the remainder of the field is on debut. Much the same as any of these early races for the babies, jumpouts are the only way to line up a few of these. We have sided with the Mick Price & Michael Kent Jr-trained Bemote, who responded under urgings at his most recent jumpout and left Yakutsk behind, although the latter was ridden quietly. These types of races are hard to be confident in, so it is probably one to sit and watch.
Selections: 6-11-7-1
Race 2: Handicap (1000m)
We were with the John Sadler-trained Starry Legend for his return at Mornington on September 26, and the colt showed plenty of signs to suggest he means business this campaign. With the runner-up in that race – The Billionaire – coming out and winning his next start at Morphettville, the form has been franked. Starry Legend has three wins from four career starts, with his only defeat coming when he lined up against Finance Tycoon back in April. He draws barrier two on Saturday, and with Michael Dee hopping back on board, we expect Starry Legend to lead throughout, kick clear on the home turn and prove too hard to run down as a clear best bet on Cox Plate Day.
Selections: 10-6-5-2
Race 3: William Crockett Stakes (1200m)
It was hard not to be impressed by the maiden win Niccolite put together at Mornington on October 7, and she looks well placed to bring up a Stakes win here. The filly settled close to last on that day and unleashed a stunning turn of foot in the home straight to go on and win in soft fashion over the final 50m. She showed at Mornington she can handle rain-affected going, and in the small field of nine, she should not be too far from the lead throughout. If the daughter of Nicconi produces a similar turn of foot here, she looks set to turn the tables on New York Baby, who she struggled behind two starts back.
Selections: 5-2-1-3
Race 4: Red Anchor Stakes (1200m)
From one Grahame Begg and Jordan Childs combo to another, Dosh looks the one to beat in the Red Anchor Stakes. Having gone within a whisker of beating Savatoxl – the favourite for Friday’s Manikato Stakes – at Caulfield on October 9, she clearly has the strongest form line coming into this 1200m affair. She clearly has plenty of class and should handle the 56.5kg weight. From barrier eight, Childs will look to take her to the rail and dictate terms. If Dosh can run up to the same rating as she did in her last-start second in the Schillaci Stakes, she should be too speedy here.
Selections: 9-7-4-8
Race 5: Fillies Classic (1600m)
The undefeated Maracana from the Danny O’Brien yard looks well placed to take her career record to three wins from three starts here in the Group 2 Fillies Classic. Having taken a sit off an over-racing leader at Ballarat on October 10, she managed to knuckle down late and win by 1.5 lengths in impressive fashion. The Shamexpress filly will need to begin smartly from barrier 12, and if she does, we expect Brett Prebble to lob her in the first four, where she should prove too good late for some of her rivals who like to run on from the rear of the field.
Selections: 7-5-3-2
Race 6: Crystal Mile (1600m)
The Group 2 Crystal Mile of 2021 looks to be a handy field, full of proven Group-level horses. We have opted to side with the Will Clarken-trained Second Slip, who finished midfield in the Group 1 Toorak Handicap on October 9 when beaten by 3.4 lengths. The five-year-old son of Alamosa will roll forward from barrier eight, and we expect Linda Meech to take a sit just off the hot tempo set by Buffalo River. On a day where it may be advantageous to be up on speed, we expect a rock-hard Second Slip to put the inconsistent Buffalo River away when cornering and have too much left in reserve for the backmarkers.
Selections: 6-5-4-8
Race 7: Moonee Valley Vase (2040m)
The opening leg of the quaddie sees Forgot You – the current second-elect in VRC Derby futures markets – go around over 2040m, and his run in the Caulfield Guineas suggests he should relish the rise in trip. He was only getting warm over 1600m in the Guineas and now returns to a track where he has had two starts for two wins. From barrier nine, Daniel Moor will need a touch of luck early on, but if he is afforded that and can settle Forgot You in the first half a dozen, it could be curtains for his rivals. He is a stayer on the rise, and we expect him to win here with a bit in hand en route to a run in next week’s Victoria Derby.
Selections: 1-9-14-3
Race 8: Moonee Valley Gold Cup (2500m)
The Group 2 Moonee Valley Gold Cup looks to be a redemption story for the Ciaron Maher & David Eustace-trained Floating Artist and jockey Teo Nugent. The pair came undone as a $1.60 chance in the Coongy Cup last time out, falling flat-footed at a crucial time. Nugent was critical of his own ride, suggesting he “cuddled” Floating Artist for too long, so expect to see him going for home 400m out and proving too hard to run down this time.
Selections: 12-13-7-10
Race 9: Cox Plate (2040m)
It feels like we have been building up to the Cox Plate for an age, but it is finally here! The all-conquering Zaaki has been everyone’s pick for the 2021 edition for some time, but we think Anamoe can become the first three-year-old to win it since Shamus Award in 2013. His win in the Caulfield Guineas was thoroughly impressive, needing to settle in the second half of the field and run on to claim victory in soft fashion in the end. He gets 9.5kg off Zaaki and goes around with 49.5kg and Craig Williams on his back, and if he is within striking distance at the home turn, we expect that weight advantage will be the difference.
Selections: 9-1-5-6
Race 10: Tesio Stakes (1600m)
The final race of the day is the Group 3 Tesio Stakes for the mares, and we are hoping the Mick Huxtable-trained Ecumenical can send us home a winner at a nice price. The Zebedee mare wasn’t beaten all that far by Sirileo Miss in the Ladies Day Vase at Caulfield on October 13, and with a narrow second behind race favourite Annavisto already this campaign, she looks to be well over the odds. From barrier seven, Billy Egan will look to have her settled close to the lead and in the one-one if possible. She has a runner-up performance to her name already at the track and distance, and we think she can go one better here if she can produce a short, sharp sprint.
Selections: 11-4-6-13
Saturday quaddie tips for Cox Plate Day 2021
| Moonee Valley quadrella selections | |
|---|---|
| Leg 1: | 1-9-14 |
| Leg 2: | 7-12-13 |
| Leg 3: | 1-5-6-9 |
| Leg 4: | 4-6-11-13 |
| Investment: | $144 for 100% |
