Early entries for a number of the Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival majors were taken by Racing Victoria today including 158 Cox Plate 2013 nominations, three more than last year.

It's A Dundeel is early favourite of the 158 Cox Plate 2013 nominations taken this spring. Photo: Steve Hart.

Running at Moonee Valley Racecourse on Saturday October 26 during the Melbourne Racing Club’s two-day Cox Plate Carnival, the $3.5 million Group 1 W.S. Cox Plate (2040m) is the premier weight-for-age race run in Australasia.

As such it has attracted a classy list of nominees including established Australian and New Zealand champions; top-rated international hopefuls; and up-and-coming weight-for-age youngsters from the current crop of three and four-year-olds.

Last year’s Cox Plate winner Ocean Park won the race during their four-year-old season beating home two crack three-year-olds in All Too Hard and Pierro – both now serving at stud.

There are 32 three-year-olds nominated this year, over 20% of the total entries, including dual Group 1 winning filly Guelph, the fellow Peter Snowden-trained Sidestep, early Victorian Derby favourite Drago and the undefeated Prince Harada.

Pre-nomination Cox Plate odds have been led by It’s A Dundeel, Murray Baker’s four-time Group 1 winner looking to go back-to-back for the New Zealand-trained horses following the success of Ocean Park 12 months ago.

The Sydney Autumn 3YO Triple Crown champion hasn’t raced since their second in the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) on Sydney Cup Day but is dominating Cox Plate betting.

Another gun Kiwi in the running is then three-year-old Cauthen who debuted down under with a second at Moonee Valley last weekend.

The other highly fancied hopes at the top of the markets that were nominated today include Mark Kavanagh’s All Aged Stakes winning mare Atlantic Jewel and their Australian Cup winning stablemate Super Cool.

One of the best represented trainers in the Cox Plate nominations this year is Sydney trainer Gai Waterhouse who has paid for 18 including one of the early favourites Fiorente who was runner-up in the Melbourne Cup in their Australian debut last year.

Among Waterhouse’s other chances are Golden Rose hopeful Bull Point, the Queen’s horse Carlton House and The Metropolitan winner Glencadam Gold.

Waterhouse opted not to nominate for her JJ Atkins winning youngster Romantic Touch however.

Also playing a strong hand in the Cox Plate numbers-wise is triple premiership winner Chris Waller with 13.

Among Waller’s ace Cox Plate-bound runners are Grade 1 winning French import Bayrir, Queensland Derby champ Hawkspur, Melbourne Cup hopeful Kelinni, Doncaster Mile hero Sacred Falls and four-time Group 1 winner Shoot Out.

Other big name nominees then include the Lloyd Williams-owned English import Sea Moon, Anthony Freedman’s German expat Waldpark yet to race in Australia, David Hayes’ Easter Cup winner Jet Away and early Melbourne Cup favourite Puissance De Lune.

As for the high-profile internationals the shortest priced in the early markets was John Moore’s International Cup winner Military Attack from Hong Kong who is a notable omission from the 2013 Cox Plate nominations.

Also on the Cox Plate defector list are the likes of Godolphin’s Pivotal stallion Farhh and the Aiden O’Brien-trained Magician.

There are meanwhile 12 northern-hemisphere trained raiders that have been nominated for the Cox Plate with:

• Side Glance (Andrew Balding)
• Maxios (Jonathon Pease)
• Mandour (Alain de Royer Dupre)
• Mars (Aidan O’Brien)
• Simenon (Willie Mullns)
• Main Sequence (David Lanigan)
• Chil The Kite (Hugh Morrison)
• Mull Of Killough (Jane Chapple-Hyam)
• Guest Of Honour (Marco Botti)
• Forgotten Voice (Nicky Henderson)
• Trevieres (Carlos Laffan-Parais)
• Hammerfest (John Hammond)

See below for the full list of official 2013 Cox Plate nominations.

The remaining Cox Plate acceptance dates are as follows:

First: 10/09/13 @ 12:00PM
Second: 24/09/13 @ 12:00PM
Third: 08/10/13 @ 12:00PM
Final: 22/10/13 @ 08:30AM
Riders: 22/10/13 @ 12:00PM

Stay tuned to races.com.au for all the latest.

Now is also the perfect time to open an account with bookmaker.com.au who will be offering the hottest Cox Plate betting markets, updated odds due for release shortly.

2013 Cox Plate Nominations

Moonee Valley Racecourse – 26/10/2013