Last year’s runner-up Fawkner will join illustrious company if he can go one better in the 2015 Cox Plate.
Only seven horses have won the Cox Plate the following year after being placed, the last to do so was El Segundo in 2007, and Fawkner is one of 173 entries for the country’s premier weight-for-age race over 2040m at Moonee Valley on October 24.
Champion Sydney trainer Chris Waller has the largest number of entries with 16 including last year’s Doncaster Mile winner Kermadec, Queensland Oaks winner Winx and Foreteller, who has contested the race the last two years.
David Hayes and Tom Dabernig have 12 entries headed by Criterion and Spillway, both Group I winners over 2000m as well as Bold Sniper, owned by Her Majesty The Queen.
Last year’s winning trainer Aidan O’Brien has entered Cougar Mountain, Highland Reel and Ol’ Man River, German trainer Andreas Wohler has Australian-owned Goldstream, Singing and last Sunday’s German Oaks winner Turfdonna in the race and there are three entries from Japan, headed by Fame Game.
Invitations were issued by the MVRC committee to connections of Gailo Chop and last-start Group 1 Sussex Stakes (1 mile) runner-up Arod and both have been nominated.
There have been 20 three-year-old’s win the race, most recently Shamus Award in 2013, and last season’s Group I-winning juveniles Vancouver, Pride Of Dubai and Press Statement are among the entries along with last Saturday’s dominant Moonee Valley winner Petits Filou.
Click here for the list of nominations for the 2015 Cox Plate.
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