Prognosis will be looking to become the second Japanese horse to win the Ladbrokes Cox Plate
The Moonee Valley Racing Club (MVRC) is excited to announce star Japanese entire Prognosis will contest Australia’s Best Race in 2024, the Ladbrokes Cox Plate.
Rated 119, Prognosis is a three-time winner at Group 2 level, claiming back-to-back editions of the Kinko Sho, along with victory in the Sapporo Kinen. He has been placed at Group 1 level on three occasions, including the 2023 Tenno Sho behind Equinox, and twice behind 2023 Ladbrokes Cox Plate winner Romantic Warrior in the Queen Elizabeth II Cup in Hong Kong.
The lightly raced six-year-old has won seven races from 15 starts, and placed on five occasions, earning total prizemoney of AUD $6,198,742. Five of his seven wins have come over 2000m, and he will look to build on his outstanding record at the distance when he lines up at The Valley on Saturday, 26 October.
A son of champion Japanese sire Deep Impact, Prognosis is owned by Shadai Race Horse Co. Ltd. and trained by Mitsumasa Nakauchida. Nakauchida brought the 118-rated Danon Premium to Australia in Autumn of 2020, running third in a star-studded edition of the Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Randwick behind Addeybb and Verry Elleegant.
Victoria’s leading jockey Damian Lane has been tipped to take the ride, who is yet to partner with Prognosis, but has ridden the Mitsumasa Nakauchida trained Serifos to a Group 1 victory in the 2022 Mile Championship. Lane also helped deliver Japan their first ever Ladbrokes Cox Plate win in 2019, with Japanese Horse of the Year Lys Gracieux.
“Prognosis has been a key target for us since the beginning of our International Recruitment Strategy,” MVRC Head Of Racing Charlotte Mills said.
“With a rating of 119, he is one of Japan’s top-rated horses and one of the best middle-distance horses in the world.
“We are very excited to have Japanese participation in the Ladbrokes Cox Plate for the first time since Lys Gracieux’s historic win in 2019, and we are sure Prognosis will make his presence felt on the day.”
Paul Bloodworth, Racing Victoria’s General Manager International and Racing Operations, said “We’re delighted that Mitsu Nakauchida and Shadai Horse Co have taken up the challenge to contest Australia’s Best Race, the Ladbrokes Cox Plate.
“Prognosis brings world class form to the race which ties into last year’s winner Romantic Warrior and arguably the best horse to ever race in Japan, Equinox.
“With a rating of 119 he is the fourth highest rated horse in Japan this year and unquestionably has the capacity to go higher.
“With international representation once again in the race and a seriously strong local contingent, the 2024 Ladbrokes Cox Plate is shaping up to be a fantastic contest.”