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2025 08 05

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Defending champion Via Sistina heads a total of 108 nominations for the $6 million 2025 Ladbrokes Cox Plate. Ciaron Maher is next in terms of nominations with seven, ahead of Bjorn Baker and Annabel & Rob Archibald with six entries each. 

VIA SISTINA HEADLINES 2025 LADBROKES COX PLATE NOMINATIONS

Defending champion Via Sistina heads a total of 108 nominations for the $6 million 2025 Ladbrokes Cox Plate.&nbsp;Via Sistina delivered a stunning performance in 2024, winning the Ladbrokes Cox Plate by eight lengths, in track-record time, with jockey James McDonald securing his third consecutive win in the race.&nbsp;The outstanding mare is one of 29 entries for champion trainer Chris Waller.&nbsp;Ciaron Maher is next in terms of nominations with seven, ahead of Bjorn Baker and Annabel &amp; Rob Archibald with six entries each.&nbsp;Mr Brightside for Ben, JD &amp; Will Hayes is once again in contention. The nine-time Group 1 winner has competed in the past three Ladbrokes Cox Plates, finishing seventh in 2022, runner-up in 2023 behind Romantic Warrior, and fourth in 2024.&nbsp;A total of 11 international entries feature in the nominations.&nbsp;Leading the way is 2014 Cox Plate-winning trainer Aidan O’Brien, with four horses entered.&nbsp;In the mix is talented Frankel filly Bedtime Story, recent Group 2-winning son of Frankel Diego Velazquez, lightly raced colt Mount Kilimanjaro, and filly Whirl, who has stamped herself as a star of the turf with two recent Group 1 victories.&nbsp;Aidan O’Brien’s son Joseph, trainer of 2021 Cox Plate winner State Of Rest, has two nominations with Al Riffa and Galen.&nbsp;Richard Hannon also has a pair of entries with Haatem and Persica.&nbsp;Rounding out the international entries are Hotazhell for Jessica Harrington, Rashabar for Brian Meehan, while Japan once again has a contender, with Cosmo Kuranda for Shizuya Kato.&nbsp;A total of 28 three-year-olds are among the nominations, with 22 from the Southern Hemisphere and six from the Northern Hemisphere.&nbsp;This year’s Ladbrokes Cox Plate will be run for a record $6 million, following the recent prizemoney increase from $5 million. The race holds added significance as the final edition on the current track before redevelopment begins.&nbsp;First acceptances for the 2025 Ladbrokes Cox Plate close at noon on Tuesday, 9th September.

Defending champion Via Sistina heads a total of 108 nominations for the $6 million 2025 Ladbrokes Cox Plate. 

The Valley will once again play host to a leg of the National Pony Racing Series, with the Victorian event set to take place on 3 Point Motors William Reid Stakes Day, Saturday 22 March.A collaboration between Pony Club Australia and Thoroughbred Industry Careers (TIC), the series is designed to educate young riders on careers in the racing and breeding industry, giving them a taste of professional competition on major racedays.The series features six race meetings across Australia, culminating in the national finals in June. Before the Victorian leg, Ballarat hosted a Jumpstart weekend, where participants received riding instruction, horse health education, career insights, and rider fitness training.&nbsp;In preparation for their big moment on 3 Point Motors William Reid Stakes Day, competitors will also take part in a training day at The Valley to familiarise themselves with the track.On Saturday, two pony races will be held for state finalists aged 9 to 15. The first, over 450m at 11:30 am, is for ponies not exceeding 12.2hh, while the second, over 700m, is for ponies not exceeding 14hh. That event will take place following Race 3 on the card at 1:30 pm.&nbsp;Moonee Valley Racing Club has enjoyed its association with TIC and Pony Club Australia, providing young riders with the opportunity to gain experience on a major racing stage. The Valley hosted a leg of the first National Pony Racing Series in 2023, and last year on 3 Point Motors William Reid Stakes Day held a Shetland Pony Race.With the next generation of riders set to take centre stage once again, The Valley looks forward to another thrilling chapter in this growing series.

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Defending champion Via Sistina heads a total of 108 nominations for the $6 million 2025 Ladbrokes Cox Plate

VIA SISTINA HEADLINES 2025 LADBROKES COX PLATE NOMINATIONS

Via Sistina Headlines 2025 Ladbrokes Cox Plate Nominations