Danny O’Brien’s airborne four-year-old Russian Camelot heads the 27 third acceptances taken for the 100th edition of the Ladbrokes Cox Plate this spring.

Russian Camelot is now the hot favourite to win the 2020 Ladbrokes Cox Plate on October 24.. Photo: Jenny Barnes.

On Tuesday Racing Victoria took second acceptances for the Group 1 $5 million Caulfield Cup (2400m) to run on October 17 and third declarations for the iconic Group 1 $5 million Cox Plate (2040m) held a week later at The Valley.

There are just 27 weight-for-age hopefuls still in the mix for the centenarian edition of the Cox Plate in 2020 with updated odds at race sponsor Ladbrokes.com.au dominated by O’Brien’s gun Camelot entire Russian Camelot at $3.

The SA Derby winner withdrew from the 2020 Caulfield Cup in favour of the shorter-distanced Moonee Valley feature on October 24 and pays $3 to salute on the back of his Group 1 Underwood Stakes (1800m) success at Caulfield on September 26.

Russian Camelot is nominated for another lead-up run this weekend on Caulfield Guineas Day in the Group 1 $1 million Caulfield Stakes (2000m) alongside a host of other Cox Plate hopefuls.

Down seven at the same stage last year, the Cox Plate 2020 third acceptances also attracted an entry from last weekend’s Group 1 Epsom Handicap winning mare Probabeel.

Kiwi trainer Jamie Richards had to settle for third with his galloper Te Akau Shark in last year’s Cox Plate results and will be hoping his now dual Group 1 winning daughter of Savabeel can go two better 12 months on.

There are 14 Group 1 winners in total left in the Cox Plate entries including also last Saturday’s Turnbull Stakes champ Verry Elleegant, Chris Waller’s mare more likely to take on the Aidan O’Brien-trained Irish raider Anthony Van Dyck in the Caulfield Cup.

Turnbull third placegetter Finche is also a dual Caulfield Cup – Cox Plate acceptor for Waller who has a total of four remaining chances in the latter that he famously won a record four times with the mighty Winx.

The other Waller Cox Plate third acceptors are evergreen eight-year-old Humidor, a dual Cox Plate placegetter before joining the Waller stable this spring, and his back in form The Golden Eagle champ Kolding.

Kolding won the Group 1 George Main Stakes (1600m) two back before a standout performance in the Group 2 Hill Stakes (2000m) last weekend booking his Cox Plate berth.

Five locally-trained three-year-olds are also still in the mix including dual Group 1 winner King’s Legacy for Peter & Paul Snowden and the to date undefeated Love Tap who is set to start favourite in Randwick’s Group 1 Spring Champion Stakes (2000m) this Saturday.

As for the international contingent, four are currently quarantined at the International Horse Centre in Victoria with Aspetar, Buckhurst, Magic Wand and Armory.

Final acceptances for the Cox Plate in 2020 close at 8:30am (AEDT) on Tuesday October 20.

Click here for the latest all-in Cox Plate betting markets courtesy of Ladbrokes.com.au.

2020 Cox Plate Third Acceptances

   Table Credit: Racing Australia.