Rivals Whobegotyou, Heart Of Dreams top Cox Plate
Whobegotyou, an Australian-bred multiple Group 1 winner by Street Cry (Ire), is the favorite for the $2.79-million Tatts Cox Plate Stakes (Aus-G1) on Saturday at Moonee Valley.
The four-year-old gelding is coming off a victory in the Yalumba Caulfield Stakes (Aus-G1) on October 10 over Heart Of Dreams, who also is in the field of 14 for the 2,040-meter Cox Plate.
Heart Of Dreams beat Whobegotyou by a neck in the Rokk Ebony Underwood Stakes (Aus-G1) on September 19 at Caulfield.
Whobegotyou is undefeated in four starts at Moonee Valley, including the Dato Tan Chin Nam Feehan (Aus-G2) at 1,600 meters (7.95 furlongs) on September 12.
“Moonee Valley is really one of those horses-for-courses kind of tracks,'' jockey Damien Oliver said. “The horse is in great form this campaign and the added bonus is his great record at Moonee Valley. He seems to grow a leg here. He is comfortable here.”
El Segundo, the 2007 Cox Plate winner, will get a chance to rebound from a six-race losing streak.
The English-bred Montjeu (Ire) gelding Speed Gifted enters off a 3¼-length win in The Metropolitan (Aus-G1) on October 3 at Randwick.