W.S. Cox Plate 2014

your top race is a stayers handicap ...

ffs.

Aidan O'brien is not even bothering to attend, the horse is not at the ideal distance, never raced the track and has a foreign jockey, and is at around $5.00 in betting ............all I can say is LOL.

Oh and I forgot barrier 13.

Side Glance seems a bit on the big side at 33/1 given a decent draw in 7. Ran a useful prep 2 lengths behind Fawkner at Caulfield, and that one is the 7/2 favorite. Side Glance went straight to the Cox Plate last year and won the Mackinnon on his next start so maybe better targetting and planning this year from connections. This could also be the last time that Frank carries my money...what a rollercoaster its been for us punters over the years!

Last years 2nd place getter in this race Happy Trails E/W . 

This race has a rich history of repeat winners/placegetters.

Aidan O'Brien believes Adelaide is the right type of horse for Saturday's Cox Plate at Moonee Valley.


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Adelaide has the right profile for the Cox Plate
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O'Brien has not had any runners in Australia since a rather controversial Melbourne Cup in 2008, when his three representatives were well down the field and the stewards called him back to the racecourse after he had already left.

Profiles Adelaide
Since then the Ballydoyle handler has been looking for what he believes is the perfect specimen with which to tackle Australia's major races.

He told www.theage.com.au: "The horses that you have, play your hand. Every year you don't have the same horses - (a Cox Plate runner) needs to have the right profile.

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"It is hard to get a horse that we think could fit the right profile. Tom (Magnier, of Coolmore Australia) saw this horse at an early stage and he just thought he could be a horse to do that.

"Tom has been big influence. It is one your biggest races. Obviously we have always been aware of it and I have been guided by Tom and what he thought.

"It is a long way to go and you have to have a horse that you believe could be very competitive. This horse has continued to develop."

Adelaide won the Secretariat Stakes at Arlington before finishing second to Ectot in the Prix Niel at Longchamp last time out.

"The mile-and-a-quarter on a tight track didn't seemed to be a problem for him (at Arlington). The only thing about him is when he goes he is a little bit idle. We might not want to get there (to the front) too early with him, but I suppose on a tight track that is not an easy thing to do," said O'Brien.

Class wise I'd say Adelaide is on a par with the best in here...he certainly has the potential to be as good as Grandera who wasn't beaten all that far in Northerly's 2nd Cox Plate....certainly better than some of the recent European runners in the race.

Best turf jockey in the world on board too.

Taking him Stateside was a very smart play. Those ultra tight inner turf tracks and pace scenarios where they sprint early, drop anchor and then wind it up would've taught him a lot about he'll face at Moonee Vallee.

Ryan Moore's column on here later in the week will be an interesting read.

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If Adelaide loses it be will most likely be because of the long season and all of the travelling he's had to do....France twice, USA twice and now Melbourne. You also have to factor in Aidan's record in APAC which is pretty desperate....These are the two biggest issues for me.

IMO, Adelaide is the best 12f+ colt in Europe given his ideal conditions of good ground or better and a course with a long finishing straight. Unfortunately for him, Australia was deemed the number 1 in the stable, thus reducing Adelaide to run in lesser races. The derby and Leger were his for the taking. Hopefully he stays in training with the coronation at Epsom an obvious target.

awesome stuff from Adelaide and Ryan...awesome.

No other jock wins on that after that break - Moore stunnning

Ectot is far better than his Arc run.

Oct 25, 2014 -- 9:27AM, sintonian wrote:

Ectot is far better than his Arc run.

tbf , I disagree , this race is not strong and the other horse on the premises in the Niel, Teletext attest to that.

Adelaide is a good horse, and has improved through the year, but he was also beaten all ends-up by Eagle Top.

Ectot is as good as his Niel run, the best I'd do is draw a line thru his Arc run,

I certainly wouldn't favour him over, say, Eagle Top ! That should be really clear. He's an average Group 1 horse.

Ectot might be also be much better suited to 1m, 10f ...

Great training performance, Jockey superb, lovely animal.

"Taking him Stateside was a very smart play. Those ultra tight inner turf tracks and pace scenarios where they sprint early, drop anchor and then wind it up would've taught him a lot about he'll face at Moonee Vallee. "

absolutely spot on . great observation !!

Disagree ffs. Adelaide is being underestimated and Eagle Top did not replicate his effort at Royal Ascot on his next run. Adelaide has improved since then.

Gary Crispe ‏@garycrispe  Oct 26
Adelaide runs to a Timeform rating of 129. Highest rated run by a 3yo in recent history.