Tag: Cox Plate

Adelaide 6-1 for QE Stakes after Cox Plate win

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Trainer Chris Waller may have been disappointed with the performances of his three runners in Saturday’s Cox Plate but he did pick up a fine consolation prize. The brilliant winner Adelaide now joins his stable from Irish trainer Aidan O’Brien with the Queen Elizabeth Stakes as his immediate target.

Adelaide had been popular with punters last week at odds as high as 14-1 but confidence had evaporated following his wide draw in barrier 13. The coolest man on the racecourse was jockey Ryan Moore who settled the colt in last place before passing his rivals one-by-one down the back straight.

He still had plenty of work to do turning for home with The Cleaner having set a decent pace but Adelaide was driven up on the wide outside to score by a short-neck from the favourite Fawkner. Silent Achiever was just a short-head away in third with Side Glance, Foreteller and Happy Trails breathing down their necks.

Adelaide has been a progressive three-year-old this season, winning the Group 3 Gallinule Stakes at the Curragh in May before finishing runner-up to Eagle Top at Royal Ascot. O’Brien has sent the son of Galileo on his travels since, finishing second at Belmont before winning the Grade 1 Secretariat Stakes at Arlington. He was unlucky in running when third to Ectot at Longchamp in the Prix Niel last time out.

O’Brien declared the $3million Cox Plate to be the colt’s target due to his liking for fast ground. The alternative had been the Prix de L’Arc de Triomphe which is often run on soft ground in Paris. His decision has been fully vindicated and he is now set to clash with the likes of Just A Way and Lucia Valentina in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes. Bet365 quote Adelaide at 6-1 in their futures market.

Fawkner lost nothing in defeat and remains 10-1 for the Melbourne Cup next month. New Zealander Silent Achiever stormed home in third and is generally 25-1 for Flemington for which Japan’s Admire Rakti remains favourite at 4-1. The winning time of 2.03.76 was just two tenths of a second outside of Might And Power’s record set in 1998. It is the first time that a European trained horse has won the Cox Plate and the attention now switches to the Melbourne Cup.

O’Brien does not have a runner this year but Ryan Moore has a leading chance on the German-trained Protectionist while confidence is growing behind Irish hope Mutual Regard. Godolphin will also attempt to end their Cup hoodoo when they run both Cavalryman and Willing Foe on November 4th.

Cox Plate Preview

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The $3million Group 1 Cox Plate takes place at Moonee Valley Racecourse this Saturday. Sportsbet are repeating their generous Caulfield Cup offer of refunding stakes if your horse finishes 2nd, 3rd or 4th in the big race.

The favourite is the Robert Hickmott-trained Fawkner who looks to have drawn nicely in barrier four. He is bidding to become the first seven-year-old to win the race since Makybe Diva in 2005, coincidentally from the same stall. Racing in the familiar Lloyd Williams colours, the son of Reset claimed the Caulfield Cup last year when holding off the fast finishing Dandino.

He chalked up another Group 1 victory when beating Criterion in the Caulfield Stakes last time out. That was over the same distance as Saturday’s race and he has to be respected. The form of the Caulfield Stakes is often a good guide here and the first five are all in the field.

Side Glance has been a good money-spinner for the Andrew Balding stable and set a leisurely pace before quickening up turning for home. Fawkner always had him in his sights and held off the late run of Criterion with Sacred Falls catching the eye in fourth. Zac Purton may have ridden a fine race in the Caulfield Cup but he did not cover himself in glory on Sacred Falls. He was well out of his ground on the turn for home and will surely keep closer to the pace on Saturday. Barrier nine is not ideal but he must go well.

The biggest sufferer in the draw was Aidan O’Brien’s Adelaide who is in the thirteen stall. He won the Group 1 Secretariat Stakes at Arlington and ran well when third to Ectot in France last time. He looked unlucky that day but the winner did not advertise the form in the Arc and it is going to take a mighty effort to win from the outside.

Sacred Falls is trained by Chris Waller who also saddles Foreteller and Royal Descent. Foreteller looks held having finished eighth at Caulfield while Royal Descent has finished runner-up in her last four races. She is partnered by Glen Boss from barrier three and should run her usual game race. Fawkner and Sacred Falls look the big two here with Adelaide’s chances depending on how he copes with his wide berth.

Sacred Falls @6.00 Sportsbet*

*Special bet – stakes refunded up to a maximum $100 if 2nd, 3rd or 4th

Cox Plate Preview

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The sad news that Atlantic Jewel has suffered a career-ending injury ahead of Saturday’s Cox Plate may have detracted slightly from the race but it is still a high class event. The bookies have reacted by bracketing leading Melbourne Cup hopes Fiorente and Puissance de Lune with Its A Dundeel at 7-2 and the value could lie with the latter.

I have the greatest respect for both Cup horses but this race is over six furlongs shorter and that must surely give It’s A Dundeel a big advantage. He narrowly defeated Atlantic Jewel on his most recent outing before a minor injury interrupted his campaign but recent track work has confirmed his well-being.

The snag is that he has drawn stall 12 but Fiorente is still outside him in 14 and Puissance de Lune will be produced late from stall 7. Providing there isn’t a strong pace it should not be too difficult to overcome the wide draw and swamp his rivals for speed in the closing stages.

European observers are baffled by the build-up of the Cup horses with the likes of Fiorente racing at seven furlongs and a mile in preparation for a two-mile race. Last season Green Moon was strongly fancied for the Cox Plate but ran poorly only to bounce back and lift the Melbourne Cup next time out.

Fiorente ran a super race in the Turnbull Stakes last time out and is currently favourite for Flemington. Presumably he will be produced with a long run up the straight again here and it will then be all systems go for the Cup. I have to side with proven form over the distance and 7-2 looks a decent bet for It’s a Dundeel.

There is no better rider in these races than Craig Williams and Andrew Balding has snapped him to partner his globetrotting Side Glance. The six-year-old gelding has been fourth in the World Cup and third in the Arlington Million this year so is certainly earning his keep. I’m not too sure whether the one stall will help as he invariably runs just behind the pace and Williams will have to be careful not to be swamped by horses on his outside if taking him back early on.

Mull Of Killough has improved out of all recognition over the past couple of seasons but ran disappointingly at Arlington park. I think he just ran too freely there and found himself in front with four furlongs to travel. If we put a line through that run, he could run better than his odds suggest but this looks a tough assignment.

It’s a Dundeel 7-2 (William Hill)