Cox Plate 2023 Barrier Draw & Final Field

A big announcement was made in July regarding the 2023 Cox Plate, with Hong Kong champion Romantic Warrior (barrier 7) set to contest Australia's premier weight-for-age contest and he'll retain the services of star hoop James McDonald.

J-Mac was unbeaten in three rides aboard the Danny Shum-trained gelding (two at Group 1 level) before his Australian debut in the Turnbull Stakes and while he was a little disappointing there, the Cox Plate is the target race.

The Waterhouse & Bott-trained Alligator Blood (barrier 5) is the form runner from the key lead-ups, having won the Group 1 Underwood Stakes before proving his 10-furlong credentials with a brilliant display in the Might And Power.

Gold Trip (barrier 8) backs up from the Caulfield Cup and he went on the same pattern last year before taking out the Melbourne Cup.

With an outstanding Turnbull Stakes win followed by a third with topweight in the Caulfield Cup, the Australian Bloodstock import is in great touch.

Victoria Road (barrier 6) is an Aidan O'Brien-trained entire that has recently been purchased by Ozzie Kheir and after the Melbourne Spring Carnival, he will join Ciaron Maher and David Eustace stable.

He was a Group 1 winner just over 12 months ago when saluting in the Breeders Cup Juvenile and he improved off a sixth-place finish via his first outing in 2023, with the four-year-old finishing third in the Group 2 Dullingham Park Stakes on September 9.

Militarize (barrier 3) lost no admirers last start when unsuited as a beaten fav in the Caulfield Guineas, while King Colorado (barrier 10) joins him as the second three-year-old in the final field.

Fangirl (barrier 9) easily accounted for Mr Brightside (barrier 2) when taking out the King Charles III Stakes on October 14, albeit the latter has a terrific record at Moonee Valley, with his only loss on this circuit being a midfield finish in last year's Cox Plate.

The Cox Plate is without question the greatest two minutes in Australian racing, a 2040m weight-for-age contest run at the cauldron Moonee Valley.

Inaugurated in 1922 when Tangalooma took out the event, it’s a genuine who’s who of racing that’s taken this event out.

The champions list includes the likes of four-time winner Winx, three-time winner Kingston Town, star galloper Northerly and the inimitable Phar Lap. 

Sir Dragonet (2020), State Of Rest (2021) & Anamoe (2022) have won the last three editions of The W.S. Cox Plate.