Manighar heads Moody’s 2013 Cox Plate nominations

Peter Moody’s weight for age star Manighar will head the leading trainer’s list of entries for the 2013 Cox Plate which saw 158 horses nominated for the weight for age championship of Australasia when entries closed today.

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Multiple G1 winner Manighar heads trainer Peter Moody's Cox Plate entries. Photo by Steve Hart.

Moody has entered nine horses for Group 1 $3m Sportingbet Cox Plate (2040m) at Moonee Valley on October 26 including several OTI Racing owned gallopers under the premiership trainer’s care.

Also under the OTI Racing banner is the French import Lidari and former English galloper My Quest For Peace.

Moody’s other entries are the promising Strawberry Boy, raced by John Singleton’s Strawberry Hill Stud, Sneak A Peak and Kesampour for prominent owners Graham and Linda Huddy, restricted class gallopers Mahican, Dissident and High Esteem.

Multple Group 1 winner Shoot Out, who finished fifth in last year’s Cox Plate, and is also owned by Graham and Linda Huddy, will head trainer Chris Waller’s strong team of thirteen nominations.

Waller has dominated Sydney racing for the last three years and last season became the leading trainer of Group 1 winners with nine victories at the top level.

Waller will make his presence felt in this year’s Cox Plate with no less than eight Group 1 individual winners being aimed towards Moonee Valley.

US Group 1 winner Bayrir made his Australian debut at Rosehill last Saturday when second to stablemate Coup Ay Tee and Waller will work out a Spring program after assessing the run.

“We don’t have a clear cut program for him,” Waller told AAP.

“It is a matter of seeing where he fits in.”

Waller’s other Group 1 winners include Doncaster Mile winner Sacred Falls, Australian Oaks winner Royal Descent, Queensland Derby winner Hawkspur, Metal Bender, Foreteller and Doomben Cup winner Beaten Up.

Randwick’s leading trainer Gai Waterhouse has the most nominations of any trainer with eighteen, headed by last year’s Metropolitan winner Glencadem Gold, Melbourne Cup runner-up Fiorente and Her Majesty The Queen’s horse Carlton House.

All three are well into their Spring preparations with two barrier trials under their belts, with Fiorente really impressing with his two appearances.

Darley representatives are light on with Peter Snowden only nominating three runners, last season’s two year old stars Guelph and Sidestep and the well bred three year old Long John.

Last year’s Melbourne Cup winner Green Moon, the Murray Baker trained Australian Derby winner It’s A Dundeel and Darren Weir’s Puissance De Lune are also among the nominiations.

About The Author

Mark Mazzaglia

Mark is a passionate journalist with a life-time involvement in the racing industry. He spent many years as an analyst and form expert at the Courier Mail and also has hands-on experience working with some of Queensland’s top trainers.