Outside of the sure-to-be champion Winx in this afternoon’s 2017 Ladbrokes Cox Plate there are two other horses that the punters have tipped for a place firming in the markets for the $3 million classic at 5:00pm (AEDT).

Rank outsider in 2017 Cox Plate betting Hardham has come into $126 for The Valley Group 1 today in Melbourne. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.

The ‘Full House’ signs are up at Moonee Valley today as Chris Waller’s champion prepares to shoot for a third win in the Group 1 Ladbrokes Cox Plate (2040m).

Success for Winx means she joins Kingston Town (1980-82) as the only other triple Cox Plate winner, sees her surpass the Makybe Diva Australian Racehorse Prizemoney record and join Black Caviar with 15 Group 1 victories.

She comes off 21 consecutive wins, including the runaway effort at Flemington in the Group 1 Turnbull Stakes (2000m), and is even more effective at The Valley.

The race day scratching of English raider Kaspersky has Winx facing just seven rivals and she is at the nearly historically short Cox Plate odds of $1.16 through Ladbrokes.com.au.

But of the other Cox Plate horses in the mix, who are the market movers?

#9 Royal Symphony

$21 into $15

Prepared by Tony McEvoy who saluted with 16/1 shot Fields Of Omagh in the 2003 Cox Plate, this three-year-old Domesday colt gets the weight relief (49.5kg). Dean Yendall rides and ran third in the trifecta 12 months ago on the filly Yankee Rose. First time at The Valley and first time over 1600m, Royal Symphony is out to improve on his credible fourth to shock winner Mighty Boss in the Group 1 Ladbrokes Caulfield Guineas (1600m). That race produced the past two three-year-old Caulfield Guineas winners and Royal Symphony has upside. He doesn’t know Winx is unbeatable, but he’ll soon be schooled by the Queen of the Australian Racing.

#7 Hardham

$151 into $126

All the other likely placegetters have eased, but this triple-figure outside has firmed as the punters dare to dream of a 2015 Melbourne Cup result-like upset. There is no way this now David Brideoake-trained four-year-old wins, but the price remains lucrative for a place. The Races.com.au team have the Redoute’s Choice stallion tipped to finish third in the 2017 Cox Plate Trifecta. He’s proven at the track / distance in Group 2 class and is back to the 2040m after a flat 10^th in the Caulfield Cup last weekend. WFA is an obvious challenge, but there are boxes ticked in a race that without Winx would be wide open.

Head to Ladbrokes.com.au now to lock in your last minute Cox Plate 2017 bets on Winx and the roughies to finish behind her in Moonee Valley Race 9 today.