Racing
Cox Plate entries: shooting for the stars
A look at some of the more interesting entries for this year’s Cox Plate
This year's Cox Plate attracted 108 entries, many of them among Australian racing's elite.
As always, there were also some who don't yet meet the Moonee Valley Racing Club committee criteria required for a start in the race and have a couple of months to press their claims.
Sav On Ice (4YOg. 9 starts, 4 wins, 0 placings): Twelve months after bobbing up in the Cox Plate entries before he had even had a start, the Darryl Carrison-trained four-year-old again has a ticket in the lottery. The Puissance De Lune gelding's only win in his first six starts came in a 3YO Morphettville maiden at start No 2, but he has won his past three starts, including an 8-1/2-length romp, albeit in BM72 grade, over 1600m at Morphettville on July 26. Sav On Ice will be in action at Morphettville again this Saturday, where he will contest a BM78 over 1600m.
Miewa (3YOc. 3:0-0-0): The same day that Sav On Ice demolished his rivals in Adelaide, the Nick Ryan-trained Miewa resumed over 1200m at Caulfield, where he was backed from $7 into $4.60 and worked home from near-last to finish fourth, beaten 1.35 lengths. The son of Maurice finished sixth at his two earlier starts, including the G2 VRC Sires' Produce Stakes (1400m). He needs a lot to go right in the next couple of months to find his way into the Cox Plate field, but the entry appears a pointer to the opinion Ryan has of the colt and he might be a Victoria Derby prospect.
Sarapo (3YOc. 2:0-1-0): Chris Waller boasts more Cox Plate entries than any trainer, having his name attached to 30 of the 108 nominations, headed by hot favourite Via Sistina. He also has a few eyebrow-raisers, including the unraced Gentle Giant and maidens Sweltering, Fermoy, Crusader Voyage, Providence and Sarapo. The latter is a son of Frankel and Le Havre mare Edith Piaf who was bred to Southern Hemisphere time in England and was an early foal, born on July 28. He finished sixth of seven at his most recent start, at Rosehill on May 31, but got with three-quarters-of-a-length of fellow Waller-trained colt Hidden Achievement, who is also among the Cox Plate entries, on debut.
Attica (3YOc. Unraced): Godolphin is no stranger to throwing in an ambitious Cox Plate entry and among its five entries this year is Attica, an unraced three-year-old colt in the care of Joe Pride. By Lonhro, Attica is out of former classy Godolphin racemare Savatiano. While he hasn't got to the races yet, Attica trialled twice last spring, twice in April and again on July 22 when he finished fifth of eight over 740m at Randwick. He is listed to make his next appearance at Warwick Farm on Friday, where he will trial over 800m.
Cinturato (3YOc. Unraced): Attica is one of three unraced horses in the nominations, joined by Gentle Giant and Cinurato. The latter is an entry for Mark Walker and OTI Racing. By Cox Plate winner Shamus Award, Cinturato is out of the Gio Ponti mare Pirellina, who is out of Group 1 winner Cinque Cento. Cinturato had his second trial of the preparation at Cranbourne on Monday, cruising home by seven lengths under light riding, and is expected to debut in the next couple of weeks.
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