There is still plenty of competition for a place in the 2014 Cox Plate field after 41 horses were included in the third acceptances for the Group 1 event that will be held at Moonee Valley on October 25.

He's Your Man remains in Cox Plate calculations after taking out the Epsom Handicap on Saturday. Photo by: Steve Hart

Leading Sydney trainer Chris Waller has never won the Cox Plate, but he is set to have a number of runners in the 2014 edition of the race after Foreteller, Hawkspur, He’s Your Man, Junoob, Royal Descent and Sacred Falls were included in the third acceptances.

George Main Stakes winner Sacred Falls, Epsom Handicap runner-up Royal Descent and Underwood Stakes winner Foreteller are all set to take their place in the Cox Plate field, but Waller is yet to decide what path He’s Your Man and Junoob will follow for the remainder of the 2014 Spring Racing Carnival after they took out the Epsom Handicap and The Metropolitan respectively on Saturday.

Sacred Falls and Foreteller have both been included in the nominations for the Group 1 Caulfield Stakes (2000m) that will be held at Caulfield on Saturday and the race is set to be a key lead-up event for the Group 1 Cox Plate (2040m).

Bonfire, Crackerjack King, Criterion, Dear Demi, Dissident, Happy Trails, Side Glance and Super Cool are all set to run in the Caulfield Stakes on Saturday and have all been included in the Cox Plate third acceptances.

Hong Kong star Dan Excel will not run in the Caulfield Stakes, after struggling with a virus over the past fortnight, and he will instead run in the Listed Weekend Hussler Stakes (1400m) with 63 kilograms on his back.

He remains a chance to run in the Cox Plate a fortnight later and along with Aidan O’Brien-trained Adelaide, Roger Varian-trained Farraaj, Australian Thoroughbred Bloodstock-owned Guest Of Honour and Mackinnon Stakes winner Side Glance are set to make sure that the 2014 Cox Plate is an international affair.

Shamus Award won last year’s Cox Plate after having his final lead-up run in the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m) and a number of horses that have been included in the field for the stallion making race remain a chance of stepping-up to weight-for-age level in the Cox Plate.

Chivalry, Kumaon, Looks Like The Cat, Merion, Zululand and Almalad will all run in the Caulfield Guineas this weekend, while Spring Champion Stakes favourite Sweynesse and Thousand Guineas favourite Go Indy Go also remain a chance of running in the Cox Plate.

Other notable horses in the 2014 Cox Plate third acceptances are talented mare Commanding Jewel, Turnbull Stakes winner Lucia Valentina, Stocks Stakes runner-up Solicit, cult hero The Cleaner and New Zealand Derby winner Puccini.