Regal Power (Image: Racing Photos)
A superstar contingent of West Australian horses have nominated for this year’s Cox Plate, led by reigning All-Star Mile winner Regal Power.
Owner Bob Peters and trainers Grant and Allana Williams have nominated five horses for the 100th running of the Cox Plate, with All-Star Mile runner-up Superstorm also on the list.
Arcadia Queen, who bypassed last year’s Cox Plate for a tilt at the Everest in Sydney, has also been nominated. The mare was once touted as a potential Cox Plate runner in 2019 before being sent to Sydney and is back with Grant and Alana Williams after spending her last campaign with leading Sydney trainer Chris Waller.
Showmanship and Windstorm, who both have untapped potential having been dominant back home in Perth, close out the strong West Australian contingent.
Racing.com can also reveal the promising three-year-old Mamaragan, third in last season’s Golden Slipper and ATC Sires' Produce, is one of the rising stars to nominate for the $5 million race.
Highly rated by trainer John Thompson, Mamaragan showed glimpses of brilliance earlier this year in its three runs to date. Mamaragan will be out to go one better than Castelvecchio who finished second in the Cox Plate as a three-year-old last year.
Alligator Blood, once set to skip Melbourne and focus on a Sydney campaign this spring, officially nominated late yesterday after a change of heart by his owners. He can score a $1 million bonus if he wins the Cox Plate thanks to his victory in the Australian Guineas.
But rising star Russian Camelot, touted to target either the Cox Plate or the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups, has yet to nominate. Nominations close on Tuesday.
Around 40 horses have nominated this year and the overall number is expected to drop in 2020 as COVID will likely stop a strong international contingent competing, including horses from Japan which provided last year's subsequently retired Cox Plate winner Lys Gracieux.