This Saturday jockey Chad Schofield will look to secure back-to-back Cox Plate wins with another classy three-year-old Sweynesse who is the early market mover for the Moonee Valley classic.
Sweynesse makes his Melbourne debut in Saturday’s 2014 Cox Plate. Photo: Steve Hart.
Last Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival Schofield, son of fellow Group 1 winning hoop Glyn Schofield, scored a ride in the $3 million Group 1 W.S. Cox Plate (2040m) aboard then three-year-old Shamus Award.
Only rated a 20-1 chance the son of Snitzel scored an upset Cox Plate result becoming the first maiden to win the race, and Schofield the first apprentice to score Australasia’s weight-for-age championship.
This year Schofield returns looking for another victory aboard another three-year-old this time jumping in the saddle of the Godolphin-owned, John O’Shea-trained Victoria Derby hopeful Sweynesse.
There are a total of three three-year-olds looking to score consecutive wins for the age group with Gai Waterhouse saddling up stable mates Wandjina and Almalad who ran third and eighth respectively in the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m).
The Caulfield Guineas produced last year’s Cox Plate champ Shamus Award who ran third in the lead-up.
All three of the youngsters in this year’s 14-starter Cox Plate field opened at $34 to win through Ladbrokes.com.au.
Money however has since come in for Sweynesse who has been smashed into $21, but is the money trail worth following?
Cox Plate Horse Form: #13 Sweynesse
- Barrier: 12
- Weight: 49.5kg
- Jockey: Chad Schofield
- Trainer: John O’Shea
- Owners: Godolphin
- Age: 3YO
- Gender: Colt
- Breeding: by Lonhro out of Swansea
- Career: 5-4-0-1
- Win: 80%
- Place: 100%
- Last 6: 1×1113
- Prize Money: $322,900
- Track: 0-0-0-0
- Distance: 1-0-0-1
- Current 2014 Cox Plate Odds: $21
Why Sweynesse Can Win the Cox Plate 2014
- Is ridden by last year’s Cox Plate winning hoop Chad Schofield
- Has won three of his past four starts this season
- Is the Cox Plate market mover ($34 into $21)
- Is the best fancied of the three 3YOs looking to go back-to-back for the age group following Shamus Award’s win last year
- Is now at a similar price ($21 v $20) to Shamus Award from 12 months ago
- Group 1 placed last start when third to Hampton Court in the Group 1 Spring Champion Stakes (2000m) in Sydney
- Experience then over the Cox Plate distance
- Ultra consistent so far with four wins and a third form five starts
- 80% win rate and 100% place rate – highest of both in the field
- Three-year-old males have a top three strike-rate of just under 25% in the Cox Plate in the last 30 years with five wins, six seconds and four thirds out of 62 starters in the past 30 years
Why Sweynesse Won’t Win the 2014 Cox Plate
- Is drawn wide in barrier 12 that hasn’t produced a Cox Plate winner in the past 31 years
- While Schofield has Cox Plate experience he’s never ridden Sweynesse under race conditions
- Yet to race outside of Sydney so needs to handle the Melbourne way of going
If you’re keen to back the early Cox Plate betting market mover and are tipping Sweynesse to win on Saturday, head to Ladbrokes.com.au and lock him in at the best price online at the bookie turning $3 into $3 million with the Megapick this spring!
