Horse Racing

Maestro trainer Bart Cummings has just two chances remaining to secure his third straight success in Australasia’s weight-for-age championship with 2011 Cox Plate second declarations taken today.

Precedence is one of two horses left in Cox Plate 2011 contention for Bart Cummings

There are now 59 hopefuls heading towards a start in the famed $3 million Group 1 Cox Plate (2040m) at Moonee Valley on October 22, including two from the stables of Cummings in German import Illo and Zabeel six-year-old Precedence.

Cummings enjoyed a stranglehold over the WFA races down under, including the Cox Plate, over the past two seasons thanks to hero galloper So You Think.

So You Think, however, was sold to overseas racing giant Coolmore at the end of last year and won’t be bought back to Australia to attempt to become a triple Cox Plate winner.

The first of So You Think’s two Cox Plate victories came in their three-year-old season back in 2009, making the son of High Chaparral the first horse of that age since Savabeel (2004) to win the Cox Plate.

This year there is again a strong presence of six classy three-year-olds out to emulate So You Think’s feat spearheaded by the Peter Snowden-trained Helmet and Anthony Cummings’ boom galloper Smart Missile.

Dual elite level winner Helmet and narrow Golden Rose runner-up Smart Missile have been two of the best performing colts of the past season and will get the chance to face off again in the $1 million Group 1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m) on October 8.

Helmet is rated a $21 chance in the latest Cox Plate odds at Luxbet while Smart Missile is at a shorter price of $16.

The two three-year-old fillies out to challenge in the Cox Plate 2011 are John Thompson’s Pane In the Glass and the Graeme and Debbie Rogerson-trained Kiwi Dowager Queen; both were also nominated for the $1 million Group 1 Crown Oaks (2500m) at Flemington during the Melbourne Cup Carnival at first entry stage today.

Cox Plate betting is currently lead by $7 co-favourites Jimmy Choux, last-start winner of the Group 1 Windsor Park Plate (1600m) in New Zealand; and Mark Kavanagh’s 2010 third placegetter Whobegotyou.

Kavanagh also paid the Cox Plate second declaration fee for his Caulfield – Melbourne Cup favourite December Draw.

Other dominant horses in the Cox Plate markets that remain in the race include last-start Group 2 Dato Tan Chin Nam Stakes winner Rekindled Interest ($9), last Saturday’s Underwood Stakes victor Lion Tamer ($11) who is now exempt from ballot for the 2011 Caulfield Cup, Stephen Farley’s consistent Group 1 champion Sincero ($12) and the Peter Moody-trained King’s Rose ($15).

Notable omissions from the Cox Plate entries from first to second acceptance stages are the Mick Price-trained Heart Of Dreams who had their spring plans shelved due to a knee injury, Spring Cups-bound Scarlett Lady and the Grahame Begg-trained Ilovethiscity.

Ilovethiscity looked to have moved a step closer to a 2011 Cox Plate bid when running a close second behind Sincero in the Group 1 George Main Stakes (1500m) last Saturday, but has not been paid up for at second declaration stage.

The Randwick Guineas winning Magic Albert stallion was, however, a surprise nominee to take on Black Caviar in the $1 million Group 1 Patinack Farm Classic (1200m) when initial entries for the Emirates Stakes Day sprint were taken today.

See below for the full list of 2011 Cox Plate second acceptances and weights.

The next stage in narrowing down the Cox Plate final field is third declarations which close on Tuesday October 4, which racing fans will be able to find right here at Races.com.au.

Australia’s premier online bookmaker Luxbet have re-released Cox Plate odds to reflect the second acceptances, so check out the updated prices on your favourites now.

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2011 Tatts Cox Plate Second Declarations