Third declarations for both the Caulfield Cup and Ladbrokes Cox Plate in 2021 are now out with Peter Moody’s star stayer Incentivise remaining in the mix for both of the spring majors.

Incentivise remains in the mix for both the 2021 Caulfield Cup and Cox Plate following third declarations. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.

The Queensland expat has been brilliant for Moody in Melbourne this spring winning the Makybe Diva Stakes – Turnbull Stakes double and is the short-priced $2 favourite through Ladbrokes.com.au to win the Group 1 $5 million Carlton Draught Caulfield Cup (2400m) on October 16.

Caulfield Cup 2021 third acceptances taken this week have left 31 stayers, while the latest round of declarations for the Group 1 $5 million Ladbrokes Cox Plate (2040m) at The Valley on October 23 attracted 26 weight-for-age hopefuls.

Despite being a gun stayer and having the Caulfield Cup all but wrapped up, Incentivise is also being kept safe in pre-field Cox Plate odds at race sponsor Ladbrokes.com.au $9 as connections keep all avenues open for the horse being dubbed as the next big thing in Australian racing.

Of course, he would need to pull off an historic feat to win the Australasian weight-for-age championship where there is already an odds-on favourite in the Annabel Neasham-trained Zaaki ($1.80).

UK expat Zaaki was also brilliant over the winter including winning the Group 1 Doomben Cup (2000m) by seven lengths.

He is two-from-two ahead of his Cox Plate bid with wins in the Group 2 Tramway Stakes (1400m) in Sydney and the Group 1 Underwood Stakes (1800m) at Sandown.

The only other Cox Plate third acceptor considered any kind of threat to Zaaki is Chris Waller’s nine-time Group 1 winning mare and reigning Caulfield Cup champion Verry Elleegant ($8).

The incredibly consistent daughter of Zed won the Group 1 George Main Stakes (1600m) two back, but suffered her first ever third-up run out of the money when fourth to Incentivise 3.5 lengths beaten when unsuccessful in her Turnbull Stakes title defence last Saturday.

Waller of course famously prepared the historic four-time Cox Plate hero Winx (2015-18) and along with Verry Elleegant still has roughie hopes Hungry Heart and Giannis in the mix for his shot at a fifth victory.

In his bid at back-to-back Caulfield Cup wins, Waller has four third acceptors for the mile and a half classic led by his upset Sydney Cup winner from the autumn Selino.

With Incentivise at $2 in the latest futures Caulfield Cup odds at Ladbrokes.com.au, eye-catching Turnbull Stakes runner-up Young Werther ($8) is the only other single-figure fancy with the Danny O’Brien-trained galloper getting in on just 52kg.

Montefilia is also a chance at $13 looking to go back-to-back for the girls after the four-year-old David Payne-trained Kermadec mare proved her staying ability with a narrow victory in the Group 1 The Metropolitan (2400m) at Randwick on Epsom Handicap Day.

Ciaron Maher & David Eustace meanwhile have reigning Cox Plate champ Sir Dragonet in the mix to defend his title.

The Caulfield Cup final field is announced at 3:00pm (AEDT) on Wednesday, October 13 – Thousand Guineas Day – and the Cox Plate final acceptances are released at 8:30am (AEDT) on Tuesday October 19.

Click here for the latest Caulfield Cup odds online and here for the all-in Cox Plate betting markets thanks to Ladbrokes.com.au.

2021 Caulfield Cup Third Acceptances