Cox Plate

The Cox Plate, named after the founder of Moonee Valley Sam Cox, began in 1922 as a weight-for-age event on Moonee Valley Cup day.

For a race that only lasts 2 minutes, the lead up is excitement, and it’s no wonder it’s been dubbed Australia’s Best Race and has even been called “the greatest 2 minutes in sport”.

And the who’s who of the Australasian turf have won this race. Phar Lap, Kingston Town, Rising Fast, Dulcify, Gunsynd, Super Impose, Octagonal, Might and Power, Sunline, Northerly and more recently campion mare Makybe Diva have all etched their names on the WS Cox Plate Wall of Fame which has pride of place in the Octagonal Lounge.

Initially the Moonee Valley Cups slideshow, The Cox Plate has now esculated to mainstream folklore. Even more spectacular is the fact that the last seven Cox Plate winning jockeys were all first timers.

In a race that stands out as a Quality WFA Field, you’d think that favourites would dominate, but recently double figure winners have been common.

And this years race is worth more than $3 million. Though more than just a big money race, the winners join an honour roll of Australasia’s greats in what is regarded as the country’s best weight-for-age event.

It’s a race where many a promising galloper has cracked under the pressure of the most furious mile-and-a-quarter test, allowing the cream to rise to the top.

Not for the fainthearted.

Only since 1999 has the world racing community recognised the Cox Plate as the pinnacle event in class & stamina, something Australian’s have known for a long time, and despite our most famous winner of this prestigious race, Phar Lap, being well known amongst the globe, it’s astonishing to realise that only since 1999 was it added to the grand prix of racing, the World Series.

Considering it was established as days outing for the leading horses of the time to feel useful between the Caulfield Cup carnival and Flemington’s massive racing week in November, it’s history is impressive.

The initial event, carrying a 1000 pound purse, introduced Australian flavour, as amongst the field of 14 were six Victorians, six Sydney Gallopers, a Western Australian and a South Australian. In 1922, that first cox plate event saw Violoncello the victor over Easingwood, who in turn returned the following year to taste success in the race that boasted a record crowd for Moonee Valley.

And a tradition was born. Every trainer, jockey, owner and breeder aspired to hold the shiny silver plate.

Winning the Cox Plate and Melbourne Cup has proven a tough task, and in 1929 Nightmarch was the first to win both prestigious races. If he had been born only a year later, Nightmarch would have had no chance as Phar Lap won the AJC Derby and VRC Derby that year, and returned as a 4 year old to win the Cup and Cox Plate Double.

At 5, he went on to win the Cox Plate as well.

And the win that all aspire too, The Melbourne Cup/Caulfield Cup/Cox Plate treble, has only been won by one horse in 1954, Rising Fast.

In recent times, 2005 to be exact, Bonny mare Maybe Diva rekindled the Cox Plate-Melbourne Cup double, making it her third Melbourne Cup.

Considering the Cox Plate was strategically placed on the racing calendar between the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups, it has become a race of great importance and prestige. Now the Tatts Cox Plate carries a total prize tag of $3,140,000 which makes it the second biggest race in Australia behind the Melbourne Cup.