Tassie star Mystic Journey is set to lead the charge against the overseas invaders in the 2019 Group 1 $5m Ladbrokes Cox Plate (2040m) at The Valley on October 26 after being among the nominations today.

Mystic Journey, above, is among the 2019 Ladbrokes Cox Plate nominations. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.

Mystic Journey, above, is among the 2019 Ladbrokes Cox Plate nominations. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.

Mystic Journey is one of 187 nominations for this year’s Cox Plate that will be run for the first time in five years without Chris Waller’s four times winner Winx.

The Australian racing public will have to wait with great anticipation to see who will take over the crown as the champion weight for age performer after Winx’s domination over the last four years.

The Adam Trinder trained Mystic Journey showed during the 2019 Melbourne Autumn Carnival that she could be the one to take over the honour with wins in the Group 1 $1m Australian Guineas (1600m) and in the $5m All-Star Mile (1600m) at Flemington, while James Cummings’ Godolphin team will also be fighting off the international visitors.

James Cummings had nominated ten Cox Plate hopefuls with Group 1 winner Avilius and tough veteran Hartnell heading the team.

French import Avilius also shone during the 2019 Autumn Carnival with dual Group 1 wins at Rosehill in the $700,000 Ranvet Stakes (2000m) and in the $1.5m KIA Tancred Stakes (2400m).

Avilius has had Cox Plate experience after running fourth to Winx last year while the stable’s war horse Hartnell was fifth behind Winx in 2015 and runner up to the champion mare in 2016.

“This off-season Avilius went into the paddock full of confidence after a light but impressive autumn campaign, and he has come back a really confident horse. He will kick off on August 24th in the Winx Stakes over seven furlongs, which gives us good options stepping him up in distance afterwards,” Cummings told Racing Victoria.

The Cox Plate nominations has twenty-seven overseas horses among them, with the powerful Aidan O’Brien stable entering eleven horses and includes Epsom Derby winner Anthony Van Dyck and Group 1 winners Circus Maximus, Japan and Hermosa.

“To win a Cox Plate, you need a horse with plenty of tactical speed that gets a mile and a quarter well,” O’Brien told Racing Victoria from his Ballydoyle Stables in Co. Tipperary, Ireland.

“We have entered 11 horses that we think might suit the race, but of course some of them don’t always progress as well as we were hoping. But Anthony Van Dyck and Circus Maximus are two very hardy colts with good tactical speed, and both should handle nice ground.

“It’s probably too early at this stage to say who our number one seed is, we usually nominate a number of horses and then we will see how they progress from now.”

Sydney’s premier trainer Chris Waller is giving himself a great chance to find the Cox Plate winner’s stall again without Winx with Australian Oaks winner Verry Elleegant and new stable acquisitions Arcadia Queen heading up his twenty-three nominations.

Doomben Cup winner Kenedna and dual Cox Plate placegetter Humidor head up Ciaron Maher and David Eustace’s nine nominations while the Lindsay Park Team have entered twenty-two hopefuls.

First declarations for the Cox Plate will be taken at 12 noon (AEST) on Tuesday, 10 September, 2019.

Nominations for the 2019 Ladbrokes Cox Plate (2040m)

# Last 10 Horse Sex Age Trainer
1 2x2x AALAALUNE (NZ) F 3 Jacob McKay
2 461214253x ALIFEROUS M 4 Kris Lees
3 24x273635x ALL TOO SOON M 5 David Payne
4 3002x7509x ALOISIA (NZ) M 5 Anthony Freedman
5 834x68x90x AMBITIOUS (JPN) H 8 Anthony Freedman
6 1100x1360x AMPHITRITE M 4 David & B Hayes & T Dabernig
7 x11x16511x ANGEL OF TRUTH G 4 Gwenda Markwell
8 1x ANTHONY VAN DYCK (IRE) H 4 Aidan O’Brien
9 113111x ARCADIA QUEEN M 4 Chris Waller
10 1x1118118x ARCHEDEMUS G 6 Gwenda Markwell
11 12x ASTRO BOY TOY C 3 Toby & Trent Edmonds
12 1x34334x ATHIRI F 3 James Cummings
13 1121x1x13x AVANTAGE M 4 Jamie Richards
14 140x11511x AVILIUS (GB) G 6 James Cummings
15 21x41x332x BEAU BALMAIN (GER) H 5 Jim Conlan
16 1217x BELLEVUE HILL C 3 Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott
17 713211x5Nx BEST OF DAYS (GB) G 6 James Cummings
18 BILLJIM G 3 Ciaron Maher & David Eustace
19 2x3141x BIVOUAC C 3 James Cummings
20 BUCKHURST (IRE) H 4 Joseph O’Brien
21 CAPE OF GOOD HOPE (IRE) H 4 Aidan O’Brien
22 76x925245x CAPTAIN COOK (GB) G 7 Chris Waller
23 6x5147225x CARIF H 4 Peter & Paul Snowden
24 2x2x CASCADIAN (GB) G 5 James Cummings
25 11331x CASTELVECCHIO C 3 Richard Litt
26 4x CATEGORY FIVE (NZ) C 3 Ciaron Maher & David Eustace
27 0x00x9368x CHELKAR (FR) G 7 Archie Alexander
28 1x CHIEF IRONSIDE (GB) H 5 David Menuisier
29 134x11612x CIRCUS MAXIMUS (IRE) H 4 Aidan O’Brien
30 x071516x3x CLIFF’S EDGE H 5 Ciaron Maher & David Eustace
31 21x COMMUNIQUE (IRE) H 5 Mark Johnston
32 334449x16x CON TE PARTIRO (USA) M 6 Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott
33 25x1x CONQUEROR C 3 David & B Hayes & T Dabernig
34 606113104x CONSENSUS (NZ) M 8 Stephen McKee
35 26x1353x2x COUNT OCTAVE (GB) H 6 Chris Waller
36 63318919x CROWN PROSECUTOR H 4 Stephen Marsh
37 3266x CRYSTAL FALLS F 3 John Sargent
38 112x DALASAN C 3 Leon Macdonald & Andrew Gluyas
39 594x13141x DANCETERIA (FR) G 5 David Menuisier
40 13x115237x DANZDANZDANCE M 5 Chris Gibbs & Michelle Bradley
41 13x DAWN PASSAGE C 3 Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott
42 1x DEEP FORCE G 3 Tony McEvoy
43 12x3123x DIVANATION M 5 Tony McEvoy
44 112x122x DJANGO FREEMAN (GER) H 4 Robert Hickmott
45 54x217549x DOUGLAS MACARTHUR (IRE) G 6 Liam Howley
46 2x3x DREAM CASTLE (GB) G 6 Saeed Bin Suroor
47 x621x8132x DREAMFORCE G 7 John Thompson
48 x3033x432x EL DORADO DREAMING M 4 Kris Lees
49 11111x162x ENTICING STAR M 6 Chris Waller
50 2712145x ERIC THE EEL G 3 Stuart Kendrick
51 681x EXETER C 3 David & B Hayes & T Dabernig
52 3x EXPRESS PASS C 3 Nick Ryan
53 350x41111x FIDELIA M 4 Robbie Griffiths
54 8321x6720x FIERCE IMPACT (JPN) H 6 Matthew Smith
55 211x60110x FIFTY STARS (IRE) H 5 David & B Hayes & T Dabernig
56 x655x1x34x FINCHE (GB) G 6 Chris Waller
57 FLEETING (IRE) M 4 Aidan O’Brien
58 312x FLIT F 3 James Cummings
59 1134x FORTRESS COMMAND C 3 Gerald Ryan
60 23x432200x FUNDAMENTALIST M 4 David & B Hayes & T Dabernig
61 11x FUNSTAR F 3 Chris Waller
62 50x112142x GAILO CHOP (FR) G 9 Matthew Williams
63 2425x5122x GATTING G 6 Darren Mcauliffe
64 12x154134x GEM SONG H 4 Kris Lees
65 0x GRAND ZOU C 3 Toby & Trent Edmonds
66 113x12619x HANG MAN (IRE) G 6 Michael Moroney
67 0069x4719x HARLEM (GB) G 8 David & B Hayes & T Dabernig
68 120x53233x HARTNELL (GB) G 9 James Cummings
69 HERMOSA (IRE) M 4 Aidan O’Brien
70 3x16x2172x HOMESMAN (USA) G 6 Liam Howley
71 84x817333x HUMIDOR (NZ) G 7 Ciaron Maher & David Eustace
72 x13361382x HUNTING HORN (IRE) H 5 Aidan O’Brien
73 6711x HUNTLY CASTLE C 3 David & B Hayes & T Dabernig
74 3x9239x16x HUSH WRITER (JPN) G 5 Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott
75 1x3x I CAN FLY (GB) M 5 Aidan O’Brien
76 21x INDEPENDENT ROAD G 3 David & B Hayes & T Dabernig
77 097714711x INVERLOCH (IRE) G 6 Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young
78 025064xN8x INVICTUS PRINCE (GB) G 7 Matthew Smith
79 1x IRIDESSA (IRE) M 4 Joseph O’Brien
80 3x JAPAN (GB) H 4 Aidan O’Brien
81 712x232x4x JOHANNES VERMEER (IRE) H 7 Liam Howley
82 JUST WONDERFUL (USA) M 4 Aidan O’Brien
83 1441x5496x KAONIC (NZ) G 5 Chris Waller
84 01x931911x KENEDNA M 6 Ciaron Maher & David Eustace
85 1x370x120x KENYA IRE (IRE) G 5 Liam Howley
86 11x43236Px KINGS WILL DREAM (IRE) G 6 Chris Waller
87 28x984x42x KLUGER (JPN) H 8 Tomokazu Takano
88 x12331111x KOLDING (NZ) G 4 Chris Waller
89 11x KOOWEERUP F 3 Ciaron Maher & David Eustace
90 112x KUBRICK C 3 Chris Waller
91 1x5913x LADY LUPINO F 3 Danny O’Brien
92 2x2211722x LATROBE (IRE) H 5 Joseph O’Brien
93 311311113x LE JUGE (IRE) G 7 Chris Waller
94 242x28496x LE ROMAIN G 7 Kris Lees
95 661x50211x LEVENDI H 5 Peter Gelagotis
96 x28363216x LONG LEAF H 4 David & B Hayes & T Dabernig
97 16422x LOVING GABY F 3 Ciaron Maher & David Eustace
98 30x823854x LUVALUVA (NZ) M 5 John Sargent
99 2x32x1x LYS GRACIEUX (JPN) M 6 Yoshito Yahagi
100 131x13422x MADISON COUNTY (NZ) G 4 Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman
101 MAGIC WAND (IRE) M 5 Aidan O’Brien
102 35x812511x MANTASTIC (IRE) G 6 Chris Waller
103 811725x MASTER OF REALITY (IRE) H 5 Joseph O’Brien
104 12x MAYAN C 3 Tony McEvoy
105 3x MEINER FANRONG (JPN) H 5 Takahisa Tezuka
106 111x30111x MELODY BELLE (NZ) M 5 Jamie Richards
107 x115508x0x MICKEY BLUE EYES G 4 David & B Hayes & T Dabernig
108 3x2x21x MIRAGE DANCER (GB) H 6 Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young
109 10532x147x MISS SISKA M 6 Grahame Begg
110 22x MOHAWK (IRE) H 4 Aidan O’Brien
111 1x2x MOUNTAIN HUNTER (USA) G 6 Saeed Bin Suroor
112 11x2x0410x MR MARATHON MAN (GB) G 6 Michael Moroney
113 11x112131x MR QUICKIE G 4 Phillip Stokes
114 4341x9x00x MUNTAHAA (IRE) G 7 David & B Hayes & T Dabernig
115 1511x1111x MYSTIC JOURNEY M 4 Adam Trinder
116 5x8112x59x NAHUEL (GB) G 6 Richard & Michael Freedman
117 213x11348x NAKEETA JANE M 4 Mark Newnham
118 2x1635678x NELSON IRE (IRE) G 5 Liam Howley
119 010x58158x NETTOYER M 6 Wendy Roche
120 612112x30x NEUFBOSC (FR) G 5 David & B Hayes & T Dabernig
121 413x41x NEW KING (GB) H 4 Matthew Dale
122 160x34000x NIGHT’S WATCH (NZ) G 6 Chris Waller
123 544130x08x OOHOOD M 4 Tony McEvoy
124 24x414513x ORDER AGAIN (NZ) G 6 Brian Smith
125 25125x OUTLANDOS C 3 Tony McEvoy
126 11x PEIDRA G 3 David & B Hayes & T Dabernig
127 610x66401x PIVOINE (IRE) G 6 Andrew Balding
128 PLAYOFFS (NZ) C 3 Ciaron Maher & David Eustace
129 1x3516832x POHUTUKAWA M 4 James Cummings
130 12x332x70x POUNAMU G 8 Michael Kent
131 3x86217x POWER SCHEME G 3 David & B Hayes & T Dabernig
132 245x1x PRETTY BRAZEN F 3 Tony McEvoy
133 55311x PRINCE FAWAZ C 3 Anthony Cummings
134 21x71116x PRINCESS JENNI (NZ) M 4 David Brideoake
135 0x2490431x PURPLE SECTOR (NZ) H 4 John Thompson
136 425x14941x QAFILA M 4 David & B Hayes & T Dabernig
137 2x QUICK THINKER C 3 Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman
138 153x16639x RE EDIT M 4 Chris Waller
139 123x RELOADED C 3 Chris Waller
140 102112334x RONDINELLA (NZ) M 5 Roger James & Robert Wellwood
141 192251557x ROSTROPOVICH (IRE) G 5 David & B Hayes & T Dabernig
142 11x RULE THE WORLD G 3 Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott
143 SAN HUBERTO (IRE) H 4 Fabrice Chappett
144 14x345x60x SAVAPINSKI (NZ) M 6 Ciaron Maher & David Eustace
145 2730x53x1x SCALES OF JUSTICE G 7 Lindsey Smith
146 62x925954x SEABROOK (NZ) M 4 Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr)
147 112429x1x SEBRAKATE C 3 David & B Hayes & T Dabernig
148 SELICA (NZ) F 3 Michael Kent
149 93x SHINING EAGLE F 3 John Sargent
150 20x SHOTMAKER C 3 Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr)
151 2x1x92321x SHRAAOH (IRE) G 7 Chris Waller
152 435x42170x SIKANDARABAD (IRE) G 7 David & B Hayes & T Dabernig
153 x310x3321x SIXTIES GROOVE (IRE) G 7 Kris Lees
154 6x194x SKIDDAW C 3 Danny O’Brien
155 641292450x SO SI BON G 6 David & B Hayes & T Dabernig
156 32x00x048x SOUND (GER) H 7 Michael Moroney
157 x22113211x STAR OF THE SEAS (NZ) G 5 Chris Waller
158 x80x56252x SULLY (NZ) G 5 Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young
159 1338414x0x SUPER TITUS (GB) G 6 David & B Hayes & T Dabernig
160 3x112x216x SUPERNOVA (GB) H 5 Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes
161 44x329023x SUZUKA DEVIOUS (JPN) H 9 Mitsuru Hashida
162 305520x55x SYLPHEED M 6 Matt Cumani
163 1x211x TARWIN G 4 Michael Kent
164 114x111x TE AKAU SHARK (NZ) G 5 Jamie Richards
165 1x1100x TENLEY F 3 James Cummings
166 x22470141x THE CHOSEN ONE (NZ) H 4 Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman
167 5216x5233x TRAP FOR FOOLS G 6 Jarrod McLean
168 TRENCH WARFARE (NZ) C 3 Matt Cumani
169 3x TRITON RISING C 3 David & B Hayes & T Dabernig
170 1x22x TRUE DETECTIVE C 3 Chris Waller
171 x22x3x312x TWILIGHT PAYMENT (IRE) H 7 Jim Bolger
172 40313x216x TWILIGHT RUN G 4 Kevin Corstens
173 138x53403x UNFORGOTTEN M 5 Chris Waller
174 x77027x90x VASSILATOR (NZ) G 4 Colin Little
175 431x53390x VERNANME (NZ) H 4 Stephen Marsh
176 3157x2111x VERRY ELLEEGANT (NZ) M 4 Chris Waller
177 33x0x6000x VOLKSTOK’N’BARRELL (NZ) G 8 Danny O’Brien
178 211x36621x VOW AND DECLARE G 4 Danny O’Brien
179 8x111x WESTPORT F 3 Tony McEvoy
180 1x6611181x WINNING WAYS M 4 Garry Newham
181 11x211x WOLFE (JPN) G 5 Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott
182 14x33x2x6x WREN’S DAY (USA) H 6 James Cummings
183 211x17x YES YES YES C 3 Chris Waller
184 63276x059x YOUNGSTAR M 5 Chris Waller
185 123111x YOURDEEL (NZ) G 3 David & B Hayes & T Dabernig
186 436013x10x YUCATAN IRE (IRE) H 6 Liam Howley
187 x12221x00x YULONG PRINCE (SAF) H 5 Chris Waller

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.