Cox Plate 2023 Tips

<h2>Cox Plate 2023 Tips</h2> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>It was only six months ago, after the retirement of the exceptional Anamoe, last year’s Cox Plate winner, that Australia’s stocks of middle-distances were considered at such a low that this year’s Cox Plate was expected to be below standard.</p> <p>In fact, the opposite has occurred with the Moonee Valley Racing Club assembling a crack field of high-class weight-for-age horses aided by a splash of international flavour and enhanced by a dash of emerging local talent and a sprinkler of spicy three-year-olds. It’s the perfect Cox Plate pie.</p> <p>The $5 million Cox Plate, run over 2040m at Moonee Valley, will be race nine on the 10-race program. Importantly, the weather report from BOM is tipping a warmish day and a Good 3 racing surface.</p> <p>If you are doing your racing tips, you must seriously consider the three-year-olds competing against the older horse for the first time in the Cox Plate field.</p> <p>Historically, three-year-olds have a terrific record in the Cox Plate, so expect Militarize and, to a lesser extent, King Colorado to be in the Cox Plate tips. In 101 years of Cox Plates, 20 winners have been three-year-olds, although only four have won in the past 30 years, and they are famous names ­– Shamus Award, So You Think, Savabeel and Octagonal.</p> <p>Interestingly, three of those – bar Savabeel – ran in, but didn’t win, the Caulfield Guineas before their Cox Plate triumph. Both King Colorado (fourth in the Guineas) and Militarize (fifth) ran very well at Caulfield, and they should be suited by the 2040 metres of a testing Cox Plate.</p> <p>Militarize – drawn perfectly in barrier 3 – has the profile of a Cox Plate winner. He already has three Group 1 wins to his name, and no other three-year-old had won more than two before taking out the Cox Plate. In that sense, Militarize has more than enough credentials to not only be high in your Cox Plate tips but also to win the race.</p> <p>Hong Kong star Romantic Warrior was the hot Cox Plate favourite when he arrived in Melbourne in September, but he lost some gloss after finishing fourth behind Gold Trip in the Turnbull Stakes. Track watchers and jockey James McDonald report that Romantic Warrior has “turned the corner” and will be at his brilliant best to stay in our Cox Plate tips on Saturday.</p> <p>The world-renowned stable of Irish wizard Aiden O’Brien will be represented by Victoria Road, who is something of a mystery horse. The colt has won a Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (1600m) in the USA, so travelling and winning is not foreign to him. It’s worth noting O’Brien has told the media that Victoria Road as a better horse than his 2014 Cox Plate winner Adelaide. If you don’t mind a bit of Irish blarney, Victoria Road goes into your Cox Plate tips. Blake Shinn should give him a good ride from barrier 6.</p> <p>The 2022 <a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/huddle/horse-racing/melbourne-cup">Melbourne Cup</a> winner Gold Trip backs up from his tremendous third in last Saturday’s Caulfield Cup – as he did last year when a luckless ninth behind Anamoe in the Cox Plate. Mark Zahra is back on his back, and Gold Trip will be the one charging home late.</p> <p>Trainer Chris Waller won four Cox Plates on the trot with his wonder mare Winx, and he holds a strong hand to train a fifth with not only Militarize but also Fangirl, who comes into the Cox Plate field at the top of her game in Sydney.</p> <p>Three of the standard bearers for weight-for-age races in races in the past two years, Mr Brightside, Alligator Blood and Zaaki, return for another crack at winning Australia’s weight-for-age championship. At their best, they will be in the Cox Plate finish.</p> <p>Perhaps the only horse not likely to be in many Cox Plate tips is Pinstriped. However, the big chestnut earned his right to be in the field by winning the G2 Feehan Stakes (1600m), and he’s unbeaten at Moonee Valley. Worse horses than Pinstriped have run well in the Cox Plate, and a shock win would make a wonderful story for his trainer, Enver Jusufovic (just call me EJ, for obvious reasons), who gave up his job as a Four ‘N’ Twenty pie salesman to train racehorses.</p> <p>Like Pinstriped, Annabel Neasham’s My Oberon will be a surprise winner, however, like Pinstriped, he’s at his best around the tricky Moonee Valley track and will run a cheeky race.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>The Top Five Cox Plate 2023 Tips</h2> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Militarize</strong></p> <p>The outstanding three-year-old in the country. He won twice at Group 1 level as a two-year-old and showed his class with a win in the G1 Golden Rose (1400m) at Rosehill last month. Ignore his fifth in a Caulfield Guineas not run to suit after he missed the start. Race rider, apprentice Zac Lloyd, reported to the media that the colt worked brilliantly at Moonee Valley and Tuesday morning, and he will ride the Chris Waller-trained horse aggressively from barrier 3 to make use of his 49.5kg. He’s our top Cox Plate tip.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Romantic Warrior</strong></p> <p>Hong Kong’s star middle-distance horse who came to Australia early to get ready for his place in the Cox Plate field. He was beaten, when favourite, into fourth place behind Gold Trip in the G1 Turnbull Stakes (2000m) at Flemington on October 7 in his first run for five months. He was very fresh that day, but he has since worked stylishly at Moonee Valley and looks ready. He has been one of the leading racing tips for months and it will take a good one to beat him.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Mr Brightside</strong></p> <p>He was the dominant weight-for-age horse of the early <a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/huddle/horse-racing/news/spring-racing-carnival-guide-2023">Spring Racing Carnival</a>, winning the G1 Memsie Stakes (1400m) and G1 Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m), but he was below his best when second behind Fangirl in the G1 King Charles Stakes III (1600m) at Randwick. Although he’s yet to win at 2000m, he should be right at his peak, and he has drawn to get the gun run from barrier 2. Make sure he’s in your Cox Plate tips.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Alligator Blood</strong></p> <p>What a legend this gelding has become. He looked to be struggling behind Mr Brightside early in the season, but he bounced back with outstanding wins in the G1 Underwood Stakes (1800m) and G1 Might And Power Stakes (2000m). He’s as tough as old boots, never raced better and likely to set the tempo with Zaaki. Leave him out of your racing tips at your peril. His legendary co-trainer Gai Waterhouse is chasing her first Cox Plate.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>My Oberon</strong></p> <p>There was a lot to like about My Oberon’s third behind Fangirl and Mr Brightside in the G1 King Charles Stakes (1600m) at Randwick on October 14. It has taken him a while to hit form, but it is worth noting he was brilliant winning the G2 Crystal Mile (1600m) at this meeting last year. From barrier 4 he will get a lovely run behind the speed. He looks the best roughie for your Cox Plate <a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/huddle/punter-iq/guide/what-is-a-quaddie">quaddie</a> and <a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/huddle/punter-iq/guide/what-is-a-trifecta">trifecta</a> tips.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>Cox Plate 2023 Odds</h2>

<p>If you are interested in a Cox Plate bet, <a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/huddle/punter-iq/guide/how-to-bet-on-horses-a-horse-racing-betting-guide">click here</a> for our guide on How To Bet On Horse Racing.</p>