Cox Plate Tips & Preview 2022
Looking for Cox Plate tips and best bets? We dissect times and form to find the winner of the 2022 Cox Plate at Moonee Valley.
COX PLATE BETTING SNAPSHOT
The 2021 Cox Plate runner-up Anamoe is the $2.40 favourite with ladbrokes ahead of Zaaki at $4.40, while the imported galloper, El Bodegon, continues to attract support and is at $7.
I’m Thunderstruck is a $13 shot while the Moonee Valley Feehan Stakes (1600m) winner from earlier on in the spring, Mr Brightside, is $17. Alligator Blood and Gold Trip are $21, while Laws Of Indices is at $26. Roughies in the field are Mo’unga ($31), Young Werther ($31), Profondo ($51) and Maximal ($51).
COX PLATE FORM ANALYSIS
Six of the 12 runners come out of the Might And Power Stakes (2000m) that was held at Caulfield on October 8. It was a cracking edition of that race with Anamoe exerting authority late in the piece to defeat I’m Thunderstruck, while Zaaki ran 3rd. Less than half a length separated that trio.
The winner went 9.9 lengths faster than standard benchmark, which are the second best last start figures of any runner. That came off a slow early tempo with Alligator Blood taking up the running before fading into 5th position, beaten just over two lengths.
Mr Brightside produced the second fastest last 200m to pip Alligator Blood for 4th. Mo’unga was last of the eight runners but was beaten less than three lengths and did produce the second fastest last 200m. He was 4th in the Cox Plate last year.
Four runners were in action in the Turnbull Stakes (2000m), including Gold Trip, who has since gone on to finish runner-up behind Durston in the Caulfield Cup (2400m).
The Maher/Eustace galloper is on the short back-up after that race and looked the winner before just being bloused late. He was a fraction disappointing in the Turnbull Stakes when 5th but was favoured for this race last year and had world-class form before coming to Australia. He went 8.1 lengths faster than standard in the Caulfield Cup.
Maximal was runner-up in the Turnbull Stakes, going 5.8 lengths faster than standard, while Young Werther ran 3rd. Profonodo is the other runner to come out of the Flemington Group 1 and was 9th. He hasn’t done much since claiming the Spring Champion Stakes (2000m) at Randwick just over a year ago.
Laws Of Indices is an interesting runner and out to the 2000m for the first time. He rocketed home to claim the runner-up slot in the Toorak Handicap (1600m) and rises 3kg from that run but will be ridden by Johnny Allen, who claimed this race last year aboard State Of Rest. The Anabel Neasham-trained galloper went a whopping 14 lengths faster than standard in the Toorak.
Finally, there is plenty of interest in the Chris Waller import, El Bodegon. He is a northern hemisphere three-year-old and a brother to Best Solution, who came to Australia and scored in the 2018 Caulfield Cup.
The son of Kodiac has some times and figures that will stack up against his rivals in the Cox Plate. Form from the Group 1 Grand Prix de Paris (2400m) in which he ran 3rd stacked up with the winner performing to finish runner-up in the Irish Champion Stakes (20000m) at his next start. El Bodegon then finished 3rd at Group 2 level over the 2385m and comes into this first up since August.
Since Winx, the past three winners of the Cox Plate have come from overseas to defeat the best of the locals and this guy is clearly in the mix.
COX PLATE TIPS AND BEST BETS
We should see Zaaki, Alligator Blood and Profondo settle forward, while Anamoe will get the run of the race from barrier 4. Keep an eye on the conditions on Saturday and how the track is playing. Stacks of rain forecast for Friday night and into Saturday morning but we might be clear in the afternoon. These tips might change if we get to a genuine Heavy track but am working on a Soft now. If we don’t get worse than a Soft 7 then I have to go with Anamoe, who does have the edge on his Might And Power Stakes rivals. El Bodegon is a big threat, while Laws Of Indices represents a bit of X-factor. Should we get to a Heavy then I wouldn’t mind having something on Mr Brightside. His form on wet ground and at Moonee Valley is outstanding, while he does bat very well when deep into his preparations.