Star mare Mosheen’s Cox Plate campaign is over with the four-year-old a notable absentee from the latest round of acceptances.
The multiple Group 1 winner underwent throat surgery on the eve of her spring campaign and has since failed to find her best form with a 13th-place first-up finish in the Bobbie Lewis Quality backed up with a fifth in Saturday’s Sportingbet Sprint.
Mosheen was a notable absentee from the Cox Plate second acceptances. Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia
The daughter of Fastnet Rock was considered among the favourites for the Cox Plate prior to the spring but will now be aimed at the Myer Classic in November.
Entries for the $3 million feature were reduced from 68 to 42 with other noteworthy horses out of contention including Maluckyday, Heart Of Dreams, Yosei, Kabayan and Polish Knight.
Heart Of Dreams was retired last week while the others will have their spring targets elsewhere after failing to prove themselves worthy contenders for the weight-for-age championship of Australasia.
While Gai Waterhouse has ruled Kabayan out of the Cox Plate she still has five entrants with three-year-olds Pierro and Proisir, imports Julienas and Glencadam Gold as well as superstar mare More Joyous.
Five other three-year-olds have paid up including filly Commanding Jewel, New Zealand colt It’s A Dundeel, Golden Rose winner Epaulette, Shamexpress and All Too Hard.
As expected Paul Beshara has continued down the Cox Plate route with in-form gelding Happy Trails who was not in the latest round of declarations for the Caulfield Cup.
The five-year-old won the Spring Stakes in Adelaide first-up before finishing second to Sincero in the Memsie Stakes and winning the Group 2 Dato Tan Chin Nam Stakes on September 15.
