LADBROKES COX PLATE NOMINATIONS INUNDATED WITH STAR POWER

<div class="raw-html-embed">The Moonee Valley Racing Club (MVRC) can confirm 137 horses have nominated for the 104th running of the Ladbrokes Cox Plate, with the $5 million Weight-For-Age classic slated for Saturday 26 October. 
 
The list of nominations includes 32 individual Group 1 winners, 34 three-year-olds (22 southern hemisphere, 12 northern hemisphere), 20 internationally trained horses, 13 Valley winners, and 42 trainers. 
 
Five countries have been represented among the nominations. The Australian trained contingent consists of 114 runners, Ireland 12, United Kingdom five, Japan three and New Zealand three. 
 
Three past Ladbrokes Cox Plate runners have stated their intentions to return to The Valley, including last year’s narrow runner-up Mr Brightside. Lindsay Park’s banner horse is a three-time winner at The Valley and is joined by Chris Waller’s Fangirl and Danny O’Brien’s Young Werther as the trio of past Cox Plate contestants. 
 
The list of locally trained stars extends to Group 1 winners Pride Of Jenni, Via Sistina, Without A Fight, Riff Rocket, Broadsiding, Southport Tycoon, Amelia’s Jewel, Atishu, Zardozi, Zougotcha and Tropical Squall. 
 
Champion Irish trainer Aidan O’Brien made history in 2014, when Adelaide became the first internationally trained horse to win the Ladbrokes Cox Plate. This year, the Ballydoyle based trainer has 12 runners among the nominations, including the 122-rated Auguste Rodin, along with Luxembourg, Opera Singer and Diego Velazquez. 
 
Japan haven’t been represented in the Ladbrokes Cox Plate since 2019 when Lys Gracieux became the first Japanese horse to win the race. In 2024 they have three high-class runners nominated, headed by Mitsumasa Nakauchida’s 119-rated Prognosis. Hishi Iguazu and Killer Ability round out Japan’s three hopes, as the land of the rising sun look to stake their claims at The Valley once more.
 
The UK have five horses among the nominations, with John Murphy’s 121-rated White Birch heading the entries. Harry Eustace, brother of 2020 Ladbrokes Cox Plate co-winning trainer David, has already stated Docklands’ intentions to come to Australia for this year’s race. Charlie Appleby has nominated Nations Pride and Measured Time, while Brian Meehan has entered Royal Ascot winner Jayarebe. 
 
New Zealand has a longstanding affinity with the Ladbrokes Cox Plate, and we have already seen the three nominated horses from New Zealand winning in Australia before. They are Sharp ‘n’ Smart, Legarto and Mark Twain. 
 
“The quality among the nominations for this year’s Ladbrokes Cox Plate is as strong as we have seen in some years”, MVRC Head Of Racing Charlotte Mills said. 
 
“There are the local Weight-For-Age stars in Pride Of Jenni, Mr Brightside, Fangirl and Without A Fight, but the international nominations are also very exciting. 
 
“We are very hopeful of European and Japanese participation in this year’s Ladbrokes Cox Plate, and the clash of different international formlines will make the race the most anticipated of the Spring Carnival.”
 
First acceptances for the 2024 Ladbrokes Cox Plate close on Tuesday 10 September. </div>

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