One of Australian racing’s biggest days lights up The Valley today, Saturday October 23, with 2021 Ladbrokes Cox Plate Day and below we have a look at the latest scratchings – headed by the sensational Cox Plate withdrawal of race favourite Zaaki – and Moonee Valley track report ahead of the first.

Zaaki has sensationally been scratched from the $5 million Ladbrokes Cox Plate at The Valley. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.

Moonee Valley Track Report – 23/10/2021

Moonee Valley Racing Club                     

• Rail: True Entire Circuit
• Weather: Showers
• Dual Track Meeting: N
• Track Type: Turf
• Track Rating: Soft 5
• General Comment: Finalised 23/10 – 7:45am
• Irrigation: nil last 24 hours, 3mm last 7 days
• Rainfall: 10mm last 24 hours, 17.4mm last 7 days
• Track Information: Inspection 6:05AM 23/10; Going stick 8.8, Shear 12.3, Penetrate 7.1. Moisture 23.2%

The weather in Melbourne has seen plenty of rain fall over the past 24 hours and with more on the radar for Cox Plate Day there could be a downgrade to the current Moonee Valley Soft (5) track rating.

Moonee Valley racing gets underway at 12:15pm (AEDT) with the lucrative $400,000 Inglis Banner (1000m) eligible two-year-olds and the bumper 10-race Cox Plate Day race card continues through until the mares face off in the Group 3 Tesio Stakes (1600m) at 5:50pm (AEDT).

There are six other Group status races before the Tesio on the card starting with the Coolmore Stud Stakes hopefuls facing off in Race 4 – the Group 3 Red Anchor Stakes (1200m) – where the undefeated Tadweer (1) along with the Daily Bugle (6) have come out.

Next-up it is the three-year-old fillies’ turn with a smart field engaged for this year’s Group 2 Moonee Valley Fillies Classic (1600m) at 2:35pm (AEDT), 11 of the 12 original acceptors remain including the Godolphin-raced Heresy following the scratching of Vianello(5).

The Group 2 Crystal Mile (1600m) is the next race of note due to run as Moonee Valley Race 6 at 2:10pm (AEDT) and the rails-drawn Buffalo River (1), Second Slip (8) and Embolism (6) are the scratchings there, before a capacity field of three-year-old VRC Derby types do battle in the Group 2 Moonee Valley Vase (2040m) at 2:45pm.

A key Melbourne Cup lead-up runs as Race 8 at 3:25pm (AEDT) with this year’s million-dollar Group 2 Moonee Valley Gold Cup (2500m) – market at Ladbrokes.com.au for which are led by the Robert Hickmott-trained Pondus – serving as the entre to the marquee race of the day where Le Don De Vie (8) and The Good Fight (13) have been scratched.

Of course, all punters are waiting for 4:10pm (AEDT) when this season’s Group 1 $5 million Ladbrokes Cox Plate (2400m) steals the show.

The 2021 Cox Plate field was reduced to nine on Friday with the early withdrawal of the Maher/Eustace import Gold Trip on vet’s advice and now just eight remain following this morning’s scratching of the pre-race favourite Zaaki due to an elevated temperature.

Race day betting on the Cox Plate now has the Godolphin-raced three-year-old Anamoe on top, while the dangers include nine-time Group 1 winning mare Verry Elleegant and the Irish raider State Of Rest.

See below for the complete Moonee Valley race scratchings, Cox Plate Day program and jump times before heading to Ladbrokes.com.au for all the top racing odds and offers this spring.

Moonee Valley Scratchings – 23/10/2021

• Total Scratchings: 22

Race 1 (12:15pm) – Restricted Listed $400,000 Inglis Banner (1000m)

• #3 Sioux Me (6)
• #8 Field Of Praise (15)
• #9 Foxy Gold (9)
• #12 Seiryu (14)

Race 2 (12:50pm) – $130,000 Ladbrokes Handicap (1000m)

• #7 Gem Of Scotland (8)
• #9 Alleboom (11)

Race 3 (1:25pm) – Listed $175,000 PFD Food Services Crockett Stakes (1200m)

• No current scratchings

Race 4 (2:00pm) – Group 3 $200,000 Tandem Building Group Red Anchor Stakes (1200m)

• #3 Daily Bugle (6)
• #7 Tadweer (1)

Race 5 (2:35pm) – Group 2 $300,000 3 Point Motors Fillies Classic (1600m)

• #1 Vianello (5)

Race 6 (3:10pm) – Group 2 $300,000 Schweppes Crystal Mile (1600m)

• #4 Buffalo River (1)
• #6 Second Slip (8)
• #8 Embolism (6)

Race 7 (3:45pm) – Group 2 $300,000 Drummond Golf Vase (2040m)

• #15e Capital Legend (14)

Race 8 (4:25pm) – Group 2 $1,000,000 McCafe Moonee Valley Gold Cup (2500m)

• #3 Le Don De Vie (8)
• #8 The Good Fight (13)

Race 9 (5:10pm) – Group 1 $5,000,000 Ladbrokes Cox Plate (2040m)

• #1 Zaaki (6)
• #3 Gold Trip (2)

Race 10 (5:50pm) – Group 3 $200,000 Powerflow Solutions Tesio Stakes (1600m)

• #7 Zaaki (6)
• #10  Le Lude (1)
• #12 Good And Proper (13)
• #13  Il Affare (6)
• #15 Kiss And Cry (4)

*All times quoted are local (AEDT) and subject to change.