Cox Plate Final Field & Barrier Draw

Cox Plate favourite Russian Camelot has been dealt a blow at Tuesday morning’s barrier draw and has come up with barrier 15.

No horse has won the Moonee Valley weight-for-age championship from that gate, and the Danny O’Brien-trained stayer will need to create history in the 100th running of the race to be successful.

Arcadia Queen who defeated Russian Camelot in the Caulfield Stakes (2000m) has drawn ideally in barrier 8 as she aims for back-to-back Group 1 wins.

Humidor was 2nd to Russian Camelot in the Underwood Stakes (1800m) and 3rd behind Arcadia Queen and Russian Camelot in the Caulfield Stakes, and he’s also drawn wide in gate 14.

The son of Teofilo was runner-up to Winx in the 2017 Cox Plate and was 3rd behind Winx and Benbatl in 2018.

Irish master trainer Aidan O’Brien claimed the Cox Plate in 2014 with Adelaide and has targeted the race with Armory and Magic Wand in 2020.

Magic Wand was 4th in last year’s Cox Plate before finishing 10th in the Melbourne Cup (3200m) and then taking out the Mackinnon Stakes (2000m), while Armory comes to Australia following a 3rd placing in the Group 1 Irish Champion (2012m) behind Magical and Ghaiyyath.

Magical is the only horse to have defeated Ghaiyyath in seven starts that include wins over Enable and Anthony Van Dyck who was runner-up to Verry Elleegant in the Caulfield Cup (2400m) last Saturday.

Jockey Damian Lane aims for back-to-back wins in the event having partnered Lys Gracieux to victory last year, and in 2020, Lane jumps aboard the Roger Charlton-prepared Aspetar who most recently took out the Group 2 York Stakes (2063m).

Epsom Handicap (1600m) winner Probabeel has drawn barrier 2 and will steered by Kerrin McEvoy who has been aboard in all three runs this campaign.

2020 Cox Plate Barrier Draw and Final Field