Today Melbourne’s Moonee Valley Racecourse backs up from last night’s Manikato Stakes meeting with Cox Plate Day 2015 featuring 10 top races highlighted by the Group 1 Australasian weight-for-age championship.

It is partly cloudy in Melbourne today with a top of 22 degrees and with zero percent chance of rainfall the current Good (4) track rating at the Valley is set to hold favouring the firm-course performers.

Moonee Valley Track Report – 24/10/2015

• Rail: Out 3m Entire Circuit
• Weather: Fine
• Track Type: Turf
• Irrigation: 3mm last 24 hours, 27mm last 7 days
• Rainfall: nil last 24 hours, 8.5mm last 7 days
• Penetrometer: 4.68
• Track Rating: Good (4)

Racing kicks off today at 12:4pm (AEST) and continues through until Race 10 jumps at 6:20pm (AEST), odds on every single event on the Cox Plate Day program available at Ladbrokes.com.au at Best Tote or SP + 20%!

Eight races on the line-up hold black type status including seven Group events headlined by Race 9 at 5:40pm (AEST) – the $3 million Group 1 W.S. Cox Plate (2040m) featuring a capacity 14 runners.

Cox Plate betting is led by two current $5.50 equal favourites, the Adian O’Brien-trained Irish raider Highland Reel and Chris Waller’s Epsom Handicap winning mare Winx who is the market mover.

Check out the full scratchings from the card below then head to Ladbrokes.com.au to also enjoy an Extra 50% on your very first Fixed Odds winner in Races 1 – 5 at Moonee Valley this afternoon!

Moonee Valley Scratchings – 24/10/2015

Total Scratchings: 11

Race 1 (12:40pm) – $250,000 Inglis Banner (1000m)

• #15e Pittsburgh (3)

Only the emergency comes out of the lucrative Inglis Race Series event to kick off the card giving 14 two-year-olds the chance of a big pay day. Only a handful have had a previous start including two to break their maiden statuses on debut – the Darren Weir-trained Dalradian ($11) and Sweet Sherry for ($4.40) Brent Stanley. The latter is the favourite having been strong in that victory.

Race 2 (1:15pm) – $100,000 City Jeep Handicap (955m)

• #5 Solsay (8)
• #8 Grane (6)

Two come out of this handicap sprint leaving a field of eight short-distance specialists led by Diamond Oasis ($2.50) who Hughie Bowman rides. The son of Lonhro comes off a close fourth at Warwick Farm carrying 60kg and will appreciate the drop back to 56.5kg here.

Race 3 (1:50pm) – $200,000 Group 2 Alliance Broking Services Fillies Classic (1600m)

• #3 Don’t Doubt Mamma (6)

The first of the Group races, this fillies-only mile showdown has some smart fillies facing off and Edward Manifold Stakes third placegetter My Poppette ($3.20) on the rails should be ready to peak fourth-up over this distance.

Race 4 (2:25pm) – $150,000 Group 3 Telstra Phonewords Stakes (1200m)

• #6 Ability (5)

Formerly the Red Anchor Stakes, this three-year-olds’ clash has 10 left to face off with the favourite and market mover being the Team Hawkes-trained Mawahibb ($2.40) who Bowman will take to the front from the gate and give them something to chase.

Race 5 (3:00pm) – $120,000 Listed Antler Luggage Crockett Stakes (1200m)

• #2 Antelucan (3)
• #11 Inner City Girl (12)

Two come out of this year’s sprint black-type for the fillies so 10 are remaining, led in betting by Serene Majesty ($2.80) who comes off the huge Group 3 win over the distance at Caulfield last start giving her a gun record at the distance (4-2-1-0) to date.

Race 6 (3:35pm) – $250,000 Group 2 Melbourne Signage Concepts Moonee Valley Gold Cup (2500m)

• #9 Let’s Make Adeal (5)

Melbourne Cup-bound The Bart Cummings mare Let’s Make Adeal comes out of this and the season with injury and of the 10 remaining stayers in the Gold Cup the Robert Hickmott-trained import The United States ($3.10) is the bookies’ tip to win defeating last year’s champ Prince Of Penzance ($4.80) and Gai Waterhouse’s classy mare Bohemian Lily ($7).

Race 7 (4:10pm) – $200,000 Group 2 Dilmah Exceptional Teas Vase (2040m)

• #9 Assertive Star (9)

Victoria Derby and Crown Oaks types face off in the Vase where 11 are still shooting for the win including the market mover and Derby top fancy for Saturday week – Tarzino ($4). He’ll have to work to beat the fillies here though with Group 1 winner Pasadena Girl ($4.60) and Thousand Guineas runner-up Jameka ($4.80) both with claims.

Race 8 (4:50pm) – $200,000 Group 2 Schweppes Crystal Mile (1600m)

• No current scratchings

The Mile for Emirates Stakes-bound gallopers still features the original 12 acceptors, markets for the weight-for-age classic led by Darren Weir’s last start Toorak Handicap winner over the distance Lucky Hussler ($2.20) who should still be in peak form and too hard to get past from the gate (3).

Race 9 (5:40pm) – $3,000,000 Group 1 William Hill Cox Plate (2040m)

• No current scratchings

A full field of 14 face off in this year’s Cox Plate classic with last year’s winning trainer O’Brien back again with Highland Reel ($5.50) in a gun barrier four draw and similar lead-up form to the 2014 champ Adelaide. The only mare in the line-up is the Epsom champ Winx on the rails and she has firmed into equal favouritism. Next best in betting are Caulfield Stakes champ Criterion ($6), British visitor Arod ($8.50) who is unbeaten at the distance and Waller’s dual Group 1 winner over the mile Kermadec ($9) who should suit the Valley.

Race 10 (6:20pm) – $150,000 Group 3 G1X.com.au Stakes (1600m)

• #4 Girl In Flight (1)
• #11 Zarzali (12)

The card closer is a mares-only mile showdown with 11 left to run, the favourite of which is Azkadellia ($4.40) in a wide draw but coming off two wins from her latest three starts. Good value offered for some other runners though including Ballet Suite ($5.50) with Damien Oliver on Waller’s High Chaparral four-year-old.