The latest Group race clash of the Festival of Perth Racing, and a crucial lead-up race to the highly-anticipated Perth Cup on New Year’s Eve, is the 2011 CB Cox Stakes running at Ascot Racecourse this Saturday.
Acceptances for the $225,000 LD Total C.B. Cox Stakes (2100m) were taken on Tuesday revealing a 14 horse final field of staying types led by early Luxbet Perth Cup betting favourite Ranger.
Coming off a close second to Playing God in the Group 1 Kingston Town Classic (1800m), Lee Steere Stakes winner Ranger is the current $4.60 futures favourite for the Perth Cup and is also set to start at the top of the Luxbet markets for the CB Cox Stakes this weekend.
The Testa Rossa five-year-old has come a long way since their 11th in the Perth Cup on New Year’s Day and is drawn ideally in barrier four of 14 for Saturday with William Pike to ride.
Karnup-based trainer Grant Williams is set to be represented by a quartet of runners in the CB Cox Stakes field this year, Ranger to be joined by three stablemates.
Tranquility is second favourite in the Perth Cup odds at Luxbet and is the next-best fancied of Williams’ CB Cox Stakes contingent.
The classy Redoute’s Choice mare has been in strong form this season most recently finishing three and a half lengths away sixth in the Kingston Town.
Williams other two hopes are Jeune eight-year-old Lords Ransom and Kingston Town fourth placegetter Battle Emblem, the duo also well liked in the Perth Cup markets paying $6.50 and $8 respectively.
The other most notable CB Cox Stakes acceptors for Saturday are then the Mark Reed-trained Pentire six-year-old Kincaple looking to bounce back from their Kingston Town ninth, Sydney raider Saint Encosta coming off a devastatingly close second in the JRA Trophy a fortnight ago, last year’s third placegetter Big Ted and Ascot Gold Cup third placegetter Mega Steel.
It is a bumper day’s racing scheduled for Ascot this Saturday, another highlight on the card being the $80,000 Listed WA St Leger (2100m).
See below for the complete CB Cox Stakes field and barriers, then get ready to back your Perth favourites by opening a new account with Luxbet who have a generous $400 bonus bet waiting for all new customers that deposit and quote the codeword BONUSBET this season!
2011 C.B. Cox Stakes Final Field & Barriers
| # | Horse | Barrier | Weight (kg) | Rtg. | Jockey | Trainer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | LORDS RANSOM | 14 | 59 | m105 | BRAD PARNHAM | GRANT WILLIAMS |
| 2 | GOD HAS SPOKEN | 9 | 59 | m99 | STEVEN PARNHAM | NEVILLE PARNHAM |
| 3 | RANGER | 4 | 59 | m110 | WILLIAM PIKE | GRANT WILLIAMS |
| 4 | BATTLE EMBLEM | 13 | 59 | m99 | KYRA YUILL | GRANT WILLIAMS |
| 5 | MEGA STEEL | 8 | 59 | m98 | JARRAD NOSKE | BRUCE MC CLUNE |
| 6 | KINCAPLE(NZ) | 7 | 59 | m99 | DWAYNE DUNN | MARK B. REED |
| 7 | DOUBLE BARREL | 3 | 59 | m90 | - | ADAM DURRANT |
| 8 | INSURGENCY | 11 | 59 | m87 | DANIEL STAECK | GARRY DELANE |
| 9 | SAINT ENCOSTA | 5 | 59 | m90 | JASON BROWN | JOHN P THOMPSON |
| 10 | BIG TED | 10 | 59 | m91 | GLENN SMITH | IVAN HAGGERTY |
| 11 | RINGMEISTER | 1 | 59 | m87 | PAUL HARVEY | LINDSEY SMITH |
| 12 | WHIPSAW | 2 | 59 | m95 | SHAUN O’DONNELL | DEAN WHITE |
| 13 | TRANQUILITY | 6 | 57 | m92 | JASON WHITING | GRANT WILLIAMS |
| 14 | MALAIKA | 12 | 57 | m73 | TROY TURNER | DONNA BAILLIE |
