As horse racing hits the headlines again this spring, the team here at Joe Fortune are on hand to bring you a Fortune Feed Cox Plate Special with all the info you need on the race, the key runners, barrier draw and who we think offers the best value in the race.
What is the Cox Plate?
It is a Group 1 race run over 2040m with $6,000,000 in prize money. This race has been referred to as the ‘Greatest Two Minutes in Sport’ and whilst that might be something of an overstatement it is still a thrilling race. It is run at Moonee Valley racecourse in Melbourne and is one of the 4 Majors in Australian Racing.
Famous Cox Plate Winners
Since 1980 there have been just a few horses which have won the race more than once, which includes Kingston Town, three times in the early 80s. Sunline and Northerly both won two in a row at the end of the last century and beginning of this one before So You Think claimed two wins in 2009 and 2010. But the most famous horse of all is Winx, who won the race an incredible four years in row between 2015-2019.
Barrier Draw
The field has been finalised for the 2025 Cox Plate and in summary, the reigning champion, Via Sistina, has got a good draw as she takes on eight other runners who have been locked in for this final Cox Plate to be held at the current Moonee Valley track. Returning champ Via Sistina is a mare, trained by Kiwi Chris Waller and will again to be ridden by another Kiwi James McDonald. The runner has become the clear favourite to win the race for a second time despite having been beaten in her last two runs this season.
2025 Cox Plate Field
1. Light Infantry Man (FR) – Ciaron Maher / Ethan Brown – 59.0kg – Barrier 9
2. Antino (NZ) – Tony Gollan / Blake Shinn – 59.0kg – Barrier 6
3. Attrition – Mitchell Freedman / Craig Williams – 59.0kg – Barrier 2
4. Buckaroo (GB) – Chris Waller / Mark Zahra – 59.0kg – Barrier 4
5. Globe (NZ) – Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr) / Ben Melham – 59.0kg – Barrier 7
6. Via Sistina (IRE) – Chris Waller / James McDonald – 57.0kg – Barrier 5
7. Treasurethe Moment – Matt Laurie / Damian Lane – 55.5kg – Barrier 1
8. Aeliana (NZ) – Chris Waller / Hugh Bowman – 55.5kg – Barrier 8
9. Nepotism – Michael, John & Wayne Hawkes / Zac Lloyd – 49.5kg – Barrier 3
Where and When to Watch the Cox Plate
As always you can bet your bottom dollar that it will be shown at your local pub or club on SKY 1. But if you’re at home, or out and about then the race is also being shown and streamed on Channel 7 and on the Racing.com App. This year the race is due to be run at 5:10pm (AEDT) on Saturday, October 25, 2025.
Form Guide
It looks hard to figure out which runner has been in its best form as only three horses have managed to score a win so far this spring. Via Sistina will have been trained with this race in mind and managed a narrow win over stablemate Aeliana early in the Spring, and Antino whilst having been close this season won the Doomben Cup, over 2000m back in May. Safe to say there is plenty of talent going around in this year’s race!
The only three-year-old in the race is Nepotism, who is trained by the Hawkes team and therefore gets to carry a light weight of 49.5kg. It’s been a while since a Southern hemisphere three-year-old has won the Cox Plate and that was Shamus Award back in 2013. It is interesting to note that only one horse in this year’s field, Globe, won its last start in something of a surprise earlier this month as he beat Treasurethe Moment and Buckaroo, both of which are also competing in this race, over 2000m at Caulfield, albeit there were only four horses in that race.
Aeliana is another fancied runner this year, she has often been overlooked as the bridesmaid to Via Sistina, but she has got form over a longer trip having won the ATC Australian Derby back in April. If she can find that sort of form again then she is in with a real chance of winning this year’s Cox Plate for trainer Chris Waller.
The Horses
The Cox Plate has become one of the most go-to races in Australia each year and part of the entertainment for the crowds who flock to the Valley is the performance of The Horses which was written by Rickie Lee Jones and Walter Becker but made famous by Daryl Braithwaite’s version. Word is that he is back again this year to give it another blast!
Joe’s Top Tip for the Cox Plate
As you know here at Joe Fortune we love to offer all you Aussie battlers out there some value and with that in mind our tip for the race this year is to back Nepotism with a win and place bet at odds of about $26 to win and $5 to place. The horse has been running at shorter distances than 2000m and Joe reckons that the step up in trip will see the horse go even better. If there are eight or more runners the place bet covers you if the horse finishes in the top three. It is worth noting he has won a Group 2 and this looks like being a great bet at decent odds… Giddy up punters!