Guest Of Honour is available at the lengthy 2014 Cox Plate odds of $126 and has the opportunity to record the biggest upset in the history of the Australasian Weight-For-Age Championship.
Guest Of Honour has the chance to record the biggest upset in the history of the 2014 Cox Plate. Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia
The Cox Plate has not been a particularly strong race for favourites in recent history, but there have not been many major blowout results in the last 30 years of the Group 1 event that will be held at Moonee Valley this afternoon.
Short-priced favourites dominated the Cox Plate in the 1980s and Red Anchor (1984) and Bonecrusher (1986) both saluted as odds-on favourites in memorable editions of the race, while Rubiton (1987), Our Poetic Prince (1988), Almaarad (1989) and Better Loosen Up all saluted as favourites,
Surfers Paradise ended the winning run of favourites when he upset Shaftesbury Avenue at 14/1 to claim the 1991 Cox Plate before Super Impose saluted at 16/1 in the controversial 1992 edition of the race.
The biggest upset in the recent history of the Cox Plate occurred in 1997 when Bart Cummings-trained Dane Ripper took out the race at the big odds of $40 after she finished a disappointing 11th in the Group 1 Epsom Handicap (1600m) at her previous start.
Might And Power was able to salute as an odds-on favourite in 1998 and Sunline (1999 and 2000) as well as Northerly (2001 and 2002) were popular with punters when they both won the race in back-to-back years.
Lonhro started the 2003 edition of the Cox Plate as 4/7 favourite, but he could finish no better than third behind Fields Of Omagh, who started a quote of 16/1, while Savabeel was another horse to win the race at double figure odds in 2004.
Makybe Diva won the 2005 Cox Plate as an even money favourite, but Fields Of Omagh took out the race again in 2006 and this time started at even longer odds of 20/1.
Equine superstar So You Think upset the well-backed Whobegotyou to win the 2009 Cox Plate as a $13 chance, but the following year was able to take out the race as a $1.50 favourite.
So You Think did not return to defend his title in 2011 and Pinker Pinker took out the race as a $25 shot, while Ocean Park took out the 2012 edition of the race as one of the best-backed runners in the field.
Shamus Award was available at Cox Plate odds as long as $81 on the Tuesday before his Cox Plate triumph, but his odds were slashed following the scratching of glamour mare Atlantic Jewel and he became the first maiden to win the race at a quote of $20.
Fawkner remains a clear favourite in 2014 Cox Plate betting markets from Criterion ($6), Adelaide ($8) and Sacred Falls ($8.50), while Guest Of Honour is now out to $126.
