Sincero will go to the Cox Plate despite disappointment in the Caulfield Guineas

Sincero will go on to the $3 million Cox Plate at Moonee Valley next weekend despite his disappointing fifth place finish in the Group 1 Caulfield Stakeslast start.

The four-year-old gelding, who won the Group 1 George Main Stakes earlier in the spring, is one of 37 horses that remain in the Cox Plate ballot.

Trainer Stephen Farley was impressed with Sincero’s run despite the unfavourable result.

“It was a strange race to watch,” Farley said.

“His last furlong was very very good.

“He was never going good enough to go to the outside.

“(Jockey Chris O’Brien) had to try and save ground and pick the horse up as well as he could.

Farley said the run indicated to him that Sincero was ready to tackle the prestigious Cox Plate.

“He (had) the quickest last 200 metres,” he said.

“He raced a bit like a mile and a half horse.

“I was just happy to see him hitting the line at the end of the 2,000 metres.

“That’s the race we… wanted.

“It will be a nice solidly run race.”

Sincero, who won the $1 million Stradbroke Handicap as a three-year-old  during the Brisbane Winter carnival, has now won 11 of his 17 race starts and accumulated close to $1.4 million in prize money.