Champion mare Winx is still the short priced favourite to win her fourth Cox Plate after first acceptances were take in on Tuesday.

Winx, above in blue colours beating Humidor in green colours, in the 2017 Cox Plate at The Valley. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.

Winx, above in blue colours beating Humidor in green colours, in the 2017 Cox Plate at The Valley. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.

Nine international trained horse are among the 63 first acceptors for the 2018 Group 1 $5m Ladbrokes Cox Plate (2040m) at The Valley on October 27.

The Darren Weir trained Humidor at $15 at Ladbrokes.com.au remains the main rival for Winx who heads the Cox Plate market order at $1.45 while Benbatl at $21 is the best of the international contenders.

Winx has nine other Chris Waller trained stablemates still in contention for the Cox Plate while Humidor is one of seven from the Weir stable listed as first acceptors.

Winx will be chasing her fourth consecutive win in the Cox Plate after equalling the legendary Kingston Town’s record of three straight wins when she beat Humidor in the 2017 weight for age championship.

The record breaking mare kicked off her Cox Plate defence with another first up jaw dropping win in the Group 1 $500,000 Winx Stakes (1400m) at Randwick on August 18 and she will be second up this Saturday in the Group 1 $500,000 Colgate Optic White (George Main) Stakes (1600m) at Randwick.

Winx had a 1000m unofficial barrier trial win at Randwick on September 1 in preparation for the George Main Stakes and Waller has been pleased with the mare’s progress since.

“She is just constantly in the zone and everything is going to plan,’’ Waller told The Daily Telegraph.

“The jump-out last week was perfect. It was just enough to get on top of her with the four weeks between runs.

“She will love stepping up to the mile (1600m) on Saturday.’’

Humidor has also returned in fine form for his 2018 Spring Carnival campaign with a second up win in the Group 1 $1m New Zealand Bloodstock Memsie Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on September 1.

The final field for the 2018 Cox Plate will be released on Tuesday October 23.

First acceptances for the 2018 Cox Plate (2040m)

# Last 10 Horse Sex Age Trainer Weight
1 x0x92834x6 AMBITIOUS (JPN) H 7 Anthony Freedman 59kg
2 186112×807 ANGELUCCI (NZ) G 5 Lloyd Kennewell 59kg
3 x4205138x4 ARBEITSAM G 5 Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott 59kg
4 1x3326x11x AVILIUS (GB) G 5 James Cummings 59kg
5 6x1121x01x BENBATL (GB) H 5 Saeed Bin Suroor 59kg
6 200x22110x BLAIR HOUSE (IRE) G 6 Charlie Appleby 59kg
7 78x512433x CLIFFS OF MOHER (IRE) H 5 Aidan O’Brien 59kg
8 0x312561x1 COMIN’ THROUGH G 5 Chris Waller 59kg
9 x533x98x06 DANON LIBERTY (JPN) H 7 Darren Weir 59kg
10 x0x250272x DEAUVILLE (IRE) H 6 Aidan O’Brien 59kg
11 7x623x2x1x EMOTIONLESS (IRE) G 6 Charlie Appleby 59kg
12 35x135x16x FOLKSWOOD (GB) G 6 Charlie Appleby 59kg
13 7x28167x0x HARLEM (GB) G 7 David & B Hayes & T Dabernig 59kg
14 12153x16x2 HOMESMAN (USA) G 5 Liam Howley 59kg
15 20x4184x81 HUMIDOR (NZ) G 6 Darren Weir 59kg
16 11x68139x4 JON SNOW (NZ) H 5 Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman 59kg
17 1x11111x43 KINGS WILL DREAM (IRE) G 5 Darren Weir 59kg
18 4x57x15x82 MR GARCIA (GB) G 6 Darren Weir 59kg
19 412141×213 NIGHT’S WATCH (NZ) G 5 Darren Weir 59kg
20 511805041x OCEAN EMPEROR (NZ) H 7 Gary Hennessy 59kg
21 x2x115627x ORDEROFTHEGARTER (IRE) H 5 Liam Howley 59kg
22 3110328x2x OUR VENICE BEACH (IRE) H 5 Liam Howley 59kg
23 111x31x31x PLEIN CIEL (GER) G 6 Darren Weir 59kg
24 x242630x35 PRIZED ICON H 5 Kris Lees 59kg
25 025x2347x8 RADIPOLE (IRE) G 6 Michael Moroney 59kg
26 3722x240x9 RED EXCITEMENT G 9 Gerald Ryan 59kg
27 611212112x SELF SENSE G 8 David Brideoake 59kg
28 3361x8899x SENSE OF OCCASION G 8 Kris Lees 59kg
29 25041x8x7x THE TAJ MAHAL (IRE) H 5 Liam Howley 59kg
30 30x25828x2 TOM MELBOURNE (IRE) G 8 Chris Waller 59kg
31 8x72x3x56x TOSEN BASIL (JPN) H 7 Darren Weir 59kg
32 1116×63211 TRAP FOR FOOLS G 5 Jarrod McLean 59kg
33 1x13714x32 D’ARGENTO H 4 Chris Waller 57.5kg
34 3x1111x58 GRUNT (NZ) H 4 Mick Price 57.5kg
35 1x6260x11x KAONIC (NZ) H 4 Chris Waller 57.5kg
36 x11130x242 KEMENTARI H 4 James Cummings 57.5kg
37 741x780x00 MIGHTY BOSS H 4 Mick Price 57.5kg
38 x31281141x SCOTT BASE (NZ) G 4 Johno Benner 57.5kg
39 12x1295x27 SIEGE OF QUEBEC H 4 Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott 57.5kg
40 x11432x80x SULLY (NZ) G 4 Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young 57.5kg
41 111x1160x9 BONNEVAL (NZ) M 5 Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman 57kg
42 0x400521x5 EGG TART M 5 Chris Waller 57kg
43 7433923×39 NETTOYER M 5 Wendy Roche 57kg
44 x222415x55 OREGON’S DAY M 5 Mick Price 57kg
45 73211x209x PAYROLL M 6 Shawn Mathrick 57kg
46 x076x462x4 SHILLELAGH (NZ) M 7 Chris Waller 57kg
47 111x111x1x WINX M 7 Chris Waller 57kg
48 2x1336138x HUNTING HORN (IRE) H 4 Aidan O’Brien 56kg
49 213×9 HUSH WRITER (JPN) H 4 Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott 56kg
50 11x1x47x PHARRELL (FR) H 4 Jean-Claude Rouget 56kg
51 13x419225x ROSTROPOVICH (IRE) H 4 Aidan O’Brien 56kg
52 343x312x60 HIYAAM (NZ) M 4 Mick Price 55.5kg
53 112133115x SAVVY COUP (NZ) M 4 Michael & Matthew Pitman 55.5kg
54 11x0121x61 UNFORGOTTEN M 4 Chris Waller 55.5kg
55 11×3 GEM SONG C 3 Kris Lees 49.5kg
56 13310×1 LEAN MEAN MACHINE C 3 Chris Waller 49.5kg
57 5108×0 NOT A SINGLE CENT C 3 Ciaron Maher & David Eustace 49.5kg
58 11×42 THE AUGUST C 3 Brent Stanley 49.5kg
59 111×3 THE AUTUMN SUN C 3 Chris Waller 49.5kg
60 131x THINKIN’ BIG C 3 Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott 49.5kg
61 19 ASHARANI F 3 David Vandyke 47.5kg
62 3x4213x EL DORADO DREAMING F 3 Benjamin Smith 47.5kg
63 417801x3x FUTOOH F 3 David & B Hayes & T Dabernig 47.5kg

About The Author

Mark Mazzaglia

Mark is a passionate journalist with a life-time involvement in the racing industry. He spent many years as an analyst and form expert at the Courier Mail and also has hands-on experience working with some of Queensland’s top trainers.