The 2025 Cox Plate: Via Sistina Headlines Nominations
The nominations for the 2025 Ladbrokes Cox Plate have been officially released by Racing Victoria, with a total of 108 horses vying for a spot in the prestigious race. The list is headlined by Via Sistina, the dominant eight-length champion from last year.
Reigning Ladbrokes Cox Plate champion Via Sistina heads all-in betting to defend her title in 2025. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.
Despite the prize money increasing to an unprecedented $6 million—with $4 million going to the winner—the number of nominations is down from 137 last year. This year’s entries include 11 international horses, a drop from the 20 nominated in 2024.
A Look at the Key Stats:
- Total Nominations: 108 (down from 137 in 2024)
- International Entries: 11 total
- Defending Champion: Via Sistina is the current all-in favourite at $2.50 through Ladbrokes
- Leading Trainer: Chris Waller has an impressive 30 nominees, pursuing his sixth Cox Plate victory
- Top International Contender: Whirl (Aidan O’Brien) is the shortest-priced international at $15
Chris Waller’s Dominance and Via Sistina’s Quest
Trainer Chris Waller, who prepared the legendary four-time champion Winx, has a commanding presence with 30 nominations this year.
He is seeking his sixth Cox Plate trophy, and his primary hope is the now eight-year-old Via Sistina. The mare is on a historic quest to become the first horse since Winx (2015-18) to win back-to-back Cox Plates. Since her triumph last spring, Via Sistina has secured four more Group 1 victories, including the $5 million Queen Elizabeth Stakes in the autumn.
Other notable Waller entries include:
- Aeliana, the ATC Derby-winning filly.
- Autumn Glow, an undefeated daughter of The Autumn Sun.
- Lady Shenandoah, a three-time Group 1 winner.
- Fangirl, a four-time Group 1 winner who finished seventh in the 2023 Cox Plate.
The International Contingent
This year’s Cox Plate nominations feature 11 international contenders, with a significant number coming from Ireland.
- Ireland: Aidan O’Brien leads with four entries, including the shortest-priced international, Whirl. His son Joseph, a two-time Cox Plate winner, has two entries.
- England: Richard Hannon and Jessica Harrington have nominated a total of three horses.
- Japan: The sole Japanese entry is Cosmo Kuranda, a son of the 2011 Caulfield Cup winner Southern Speed.
Four international horses have previously won the Cox Plate: Adelaide (2014) and State Of Rest (2021) for Ireland, Lys Gracieux (2019) for Japan, and Romantic Warrior (2023) for Hong Kong. Last year, Japanese galloper Prognosis finished second and UK runner Docklands was fifth.
Beyond Via Sistina, other top contenders in the futures market include:
- Antino ($7), Tony Gollan’s Doomben Cup winner.
- Treasurethe Moment ($13), who won both the VRC Oaks and ATC Oaks.
- Mr Brightside ($15), who will be attempting the race for a fourth consecutive year.
The 2025 Caulfield Cup also saw its nominations close with 146 early entries, including 12 international runners, with Chris Waller again having the most entries with 32.
2025 Ladbrokes Cox Plate Nomination List
| Last 10 | Horse | Sex | Age | Trainer | Hcp Rating | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 21x90x404x | ADELAIDE RIVER (IRE) | G | 6 | Kris Lees | |
| 2 | 6112x3421x | AELIANA (NZ) | M | 4 | Chris Waller | |
| 3 | 4383x6035x | AL MUBHIR (GB) | G | 7 | Annabel & Rob Archibald | |
| 4 | 211x22x | AL RIFFA (FR) | H | 6 | Joseph O’Brien | |
| 5 | 9x00x0590x | ALENQUER (FR) | G | 8 | Ben, Will & JD Hayes | |
| 6 | 159x116x1x | ANGEL CAPITAL | H | 4 | Chris Waller | |
| 7 | 1x1x139x0x | ANISETTE (GB) | M | 6 | Chris Waller | |
| 8 | 11712x146x | ANOTHER WIL | G | 6 | Ciaron Maher | |
| 9 | 33120x011x | ANTINO (NZ) | G | 7 | Tony Gollan | |
| 10 | 3x | ARABIAN PRINCE | C | 3 | Michael Kent | |
| 11 | 451x55241x | ARAPAHO (FR) | G | 9 | Bjorn Baker | |
| 12 | ATTICA | C | 3 | Joseph Pride | ||
| 13 | 74140x828x | ATTRITION | H | 6 | Mitchell Freedman | |
| 14 | 11x | AUTUMN BOY | C | 3 | Chris Waller | |
| 15 | 111x1x | AUTUMN GLOW | M | 4 | Chris Waller | |
| 16 | 1x | BEDTIME STORY (IRE) | M | 4 | Aidan O’Brien | |
| 17 | 84112x920x | BELVEDERE BOYS | G | 6 | Matthew Dunn | |
| 18 | 11229x970x | BUCKAROO (GB) | G | 7 | Chris Waller | |
| 19 | 21x | CENTRAL COAST | C | 3 | Chris Waller | |
| 20 | 211x45315x | CEOLWULF (NZ) | G | 5 | Joseph Pride | |
| 21 | 2122x310x | CHIEF LITTLE ROCK (IRE) | G | 5 | Anthony & Sam Freedman | |
| 22 | CINTURATO | G | 3 | Mark Walker | ||
| 23 | x00x80x48x | CLEVELAND (IRE) | G | 8 | Kris Lees | |
| 24 | COSMO KURANDA (JPN) | H | 5 | Shizuya Kato | ||
| 25 | 35x | CRUSADER VOYAGE | C | 3 | Chris Waller | |
| 26 | 12x3x1611x | DAMASK ROSE (NZ) | M | 4 | Mark Walker | |
| 27 | 275x71211x | DEAKIN (FR) | G | 6 | Phillip Stokes | |
| 28 | 8x5253112x | DEPTH OF CHARACTER | G | 4 | Annabel & Rob Archibald | |
| 29 | x314x8024x | DESERT LIGHTNING (NZ) | G | 6 | Peter G Moody & Katherine Coleman | |
| 30 | 116x48011x | DIEGO VELAZQUEZ (IRE) | H | 5 | Aidan O’Brien | |
| 31 | 1139x3421x | EVAPORATE (NZ) | G | 4 | Ben, Will & JD Hayes | |
| 32 | 3163x1221x | FANGIRL | M | 7 | Chris Waller | |
| 33 | 3x60x | FERMOY | C | 3 | Chris Waller | |
| 34 | x7423x316x | FEROCE (NZ) | G | 4 | Dominic Sutton | |
| 35 | 16x4117x4x | FULL COUNT FELICIA (USA) | M | 7 | Chris Waller | |
| 36 | GALEN (GB) | G | 5 | Joseph O’Brien | ||
| 37 | GENTLE GIANT | C | 3 | Chris Waller | ||
| 38 | 110x02368x | GERIATRIX | G | 5 | Chris Waller | |
| 39 | 22110x310x | GRINGOTTS (NZ) | G | 6 | Ciaron Maher | |
| 40 | 2x | HAATEM (IRE) | H | 5 | Richard Hannon | |
| 41 | 117x21121x | HALF YOURS | G | 5 | Tony & Calvin McEvoy | |
| 42 | 2132x | HIDDEN ACHIEVEMENT | C | 3 | Chris Waller | |
| 43 | 11x | HIGHVOL | G | 3 | Nick Ryan | |
| 44 | 2689x12x | HILLIER | C | 3 | Annabel & Rob Archibald | |
| 45 | HOTAZHELL (GB) | H | 4 | Jessica Harrington | ||
| 46 | 4x95x1165x | KINGSWOOD (GB) | H | 6 | Gavin Bedggood | |
| 47 | 234x90051x | KNIGHT’S CHOICE | G | 6 | John Symons & Sheila Laxon | |
| 48 | 21x212222x | LA CRIQUE (NZ) | M | 7 | Simon Alexander | |
| 49 | 032x826x9x | LADY IN PINK | M | 5 | Leon & Troy Corstens & Will Larkin | |
| 50 | 32x11x111x | LADY SHENANDOAH | M | 4 | Chris Waller | |
| 51 | 11x | LEGACY BOUND | G | 3 | Robbie Griffiths | |
| 52 | 12111114x | LEICA LUCY (NZ) | M | 4 | Chris Waller | |
| 53 | 7101x6310x | LIGHT INFANTRY MAN (FR) | G | 7 | Ciaron Maher | |
| 54 | 8x2332490x | LINDERMANN | G | 6 | Chris Waller | |
| 55 | 2x46x2618x | LINEBACKER (NZ) | G | 4 | John O’Shea & Tom Charlton | |
| 56 | 1x138x159x | MIDDLE EARTH (GB) | G | 6 | Ciaron Maher | |
| 57 | 66x4x | MIEWA | G | 3 | Nick Ryan | |
| 58 | 33x000546x | MILITARIZE (NZ) | G | 5 | Chris Waller | |
| 59 | 33x2121x0x | MOIRA (CAN) | M | 7 | Chris Waller | |
| 60 | MOUNT KILIMANJARO (FR) | H | 4 | Aidan O’Brien | ||
| 61 | 13x491534x | MOVIN OUT (NZ) | M | 4 | Chris Waller | |
| 62 | 2241x2120x | MR BRIGHTSIDE (NZ) | G | 8 | Ben, Will & JD Hayes | |
| 63 | 02639x030x | MY OBERON (IRE) | G | 9 | Annabel & Rob Archibald | |
| 64 | 311x | NEPOTISM | C | 3 | Michael, John & Wayne Hawkes | |
| 65 | 3230111x7x | NEWLOOK (FR) | G | 5 | Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young | |
| 66 | 215x | OBSERVER | C | 3 | Ciaron Maher | |
| 67 | 42x865839x | OUR GOLD HOPE | M | 5 | Robert & Luke Price | |
| 68 | 3x9632155x | PALMETTO (NZ) | G | 7 | John Sargent | |
| 69 | 242111125x | PERFUMIST (NZ) | M | 4 | Bjorn Baker | |
| 70 | 13491x845x | PERICLES | G | 6 | Bjorn Baker | |
| 71 | 1x | PERSICA (IRE) | H | 5 | Richard Hannon | |
| 72 | x21293118x | POCKETING | G | 4 | Richard & Will Freedman | |
| 73 | 9x3123118x | POINT AND SHOOT | G | 4 | Bjorn Baker | |
| 74 | 8x4x8x112x | POINT KING (IRE) | G | 7 | Anthony & Sam Freedman | |
| 75 | 36610x897x | PORT LOCKROY | H | 5 | Annabel & Rob Archibald | |
| 76 | 3x24183x7x | PORTLAND (IRE) | H | 5 | Matthew Smith | |
| 77 | 344x | PROVIDENCE | C | 3 | Chris Waller | |
| 78 | RASHABAR (IRE) | H | 4 | Brian Meehan | ||
| 79 | 8131x7690x | REAL CLASS (NZ) | M | 4 | Chris Waller | |
| 80 | 11145x | RIVELLINO | C | 3 | Kris Lees | |
| 81 | 13337x142x | ROYAL PATRONAGE (FR) | H | 7 | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | |
| 82 | 1x1122x | SABAJ | G | 4 | Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr) | |
| 83 | 26x | SARAPO (GB) | C | 3 | Chris Waller | |
| 84 | 1x7758111x | SAV ON ICE | H | 4 | Darryl Carrison | |
| 85 | 0x0x30069x | SCARLET OAK | M | 5 | Chris Waller | |
| 86 | 021352x05x | SCARY (NZ) | H | 4 | Emma-Lee & David Browne | |
| 87 | 41114x | SEPALS | G | 4 | Cliff Brown | |
| 88 | x1441x1x0x | SHADIZI (FR) | G | 5 | Chris Waller | |
| 89 | 1113x28x1x | SIR DELIUS (GB) | H | 5 | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | |
| 90 | 2954x8612x | STEFI MAGNETICA | M | 5 | Bjorn Baker | |
| 91 | 42242220x | SWELTERING | M | 4 | Chris Waller | |
| 92 | 2143x6250x | TERRITORY EXPRESS | G | 6 | Paul Niceforo | |
| 93 | 245612417x | THE EUPHRATES (GB) | G | 5 | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | |
| 94 | 243x21573x | TOM KITTEN | G | 5 | Anthony & Sam Freedman | |
| 95 | 1111x1111x | TREASURETHE MOMENT | M | 4 | Matt Laurie | |
| 96 | TRINITY COLLEGE (IRE) | H | 4 | Chris Waller | ||
| 97 | 47x4323x | TUPAKARA | F | 3 | Annabel & Rob Archibald | |
| 98 | 43120x130x | VAUBAN (FR) | G | 8 | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | |
| 99 | 5111x3111x | VIA SISTINA (IRE) | M | 8 | Chris Waller | |
| 100 | 111x | VINROCK | C | 3 | Matt Laurie | |
| 101 | 89489x504x | VON HAUKE (NZ) | G | 6 | Cliff Brown | |
| 102 | WHIRL (IRE) | M | 4 | Aidan O’Brien | ||
| 103 | 3111014x | WILLYDOIT (NZ) | G | 4 | Ciaron Maher | |
| 104 | 1121P32x | WITHIN THE LAW | F | 3 | Bjorn Baker | |
| 105 | 13224x | WODETON | C | 3 | Chris Waller | |
| 106 | 111212x75x | WOOTTON VERNI (FR) | G | 5 | Chris Waller | |
| 107 | 15078x778x | YOUNG WERTHER (NZ) | G | 8 | Danny O’Brien | |
| 108 | 454x83230x | ZARDOZI | M | 5 | Ciaron Maher |
Table Credit: Racing Australia.
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