How have 3-year-old colts fared in the Cox Plate?

Cover image courtesy of The Image Is Everything

Firmly etched in racing folklore for over a century, the G1 WS Cox Plate is almost peerless in status as a weight-for-age championship race. Affording the best an opportunity to compete on a level playing field, the conditions also open the door for dynamic 3-year-olds to take on their older rivals with a significant weight pull.

Currently, 49.5kg is the allocated weight for colts or geldings, while fillies are assigned 47.5kg to carry.

Going all the way back to 1925 when Manfred (Valais {GB}) took out the fourth edition of the race, exciting 3-year-olds have created plenty of intrigue. For the 2023 running, two are set to line up, with Militarize (NZ) (Dundeel {NZ}) and King Colorado (Kingman {GB}) both advancing from the G1 Caulfield Guineas, a key historical lead-up within the age group.

Gallery: The 3-year-old colts lining up in this year's G1 WS Cox Plate at Moonee Valley

Class colts

Plenty of high-class colts have attempted it over the years, Savabeel, a son of Zabeel (NZ), famously took out the race in 2004, while 2012 saw future star stallions All Too Hard, Pierro and Proisir line up to try and add their name to a legendary honour roll.

One of the best racehorses (and now stallions) of the 21st century, So You Think (NZ) announced himself as an equine star with a crushing victory in 2009, while Viscount was denied in 2001 when a gap between Northerly (Serheed {USA}) and Sunline (NZ) (Desert Sun {GB}) closed as quickly as it opened.

With two colts lining up tomorrow, it’s worth looking back over the last decade of the race, and seeing how the last nine to compete fared, and what became of them.

Anamoe (Street Boss {USA} x Anamato {Redoute's Choice})

Held up by many as a darling of COVID-era racing, Anamoe lined up in the 2021 edition with a third Group 1 firmly in his sights. Ending up back in the field, jockey Craig Williams was able to follow John Allen on State Of Rest (Ire) into the race. When the pair broke away to fight it out, it was set up for a thrilling finish, but it would be the Northern Hemisphere 3-year-old who came out victorious. The drama didn’t end there, with a protest resulting in a lengthy deliberation in the stewards' room. Ultimately, the protest was dismissed, with the official margin of 0.1l standing.

One year later, off the back of a dominant autumn, Anamoe would go one better, with caller Matt Hill famously declaring, “This time for the Big A!” as he crossed the line for a jubilant James McDonald. His Cox Plate was Group 1 number seven, and he would go on to win a further two more before being retired to Darley for a first-season fee of $121,000 (inc GST).

Captivant (Capatilist x Speedboat {Commands})

The second 3-year-old to run in 2021, Captivant was given his chance in the race off a brave second placing to Anamoe in the Caulfield Guineas at the pair’s previous start. Already a winner of the G1 Champagne S. as a 2-year-old, the Peter and Paul Snowden-trained colt was quickly sent forward by Dean Yendall, attempting to roll along at a bold speed with the light weight. The rest of the field caught up to him, and he wasn’t able to beat a runner home.

He would return for an autumn campaign in 2022, with a third placing in the G3 CS Hayes S. being his best run. After a run in The All-Star Mile, he joined the roster of Kia Ora Stud, where he stands today for a fee of $27,500 (inc GST).

Grandslam (Myboycharlie {Ire} x Mine Game {General Nediym})

Facing an empty Moonee Valley as the lone 3-year-old in 2020, Grandslam advanced from a Caulfield Guineas placing a fortnight prior, where bold front-running tactics were adopted. Jye McNeil showed his hand early that they would try similar, with the colt burning to the front and attempting to make every post a winner. In what was one of the strongest editions of the race in the modern era, a wall of top-class horses very quickly joined him, and he wasn’t able to beat a runner home after tiring in the straight.

The only horse to feature in this column still racing, the now-6-year-old has enjoyed a rather unique career trajectory since attempting to scale one of the sport's highest mountains. In the autumn of 2021, he put in a dominant display in the G2 Alister Clark S. at Moonee Valley, winning by an official margin of 6.3l. After finishing ninth in the G1 Rosehill Guineas S., he was gelded ahead of an autumn campaign in 2022. He was able to score another resounding win (this time by 5.5l) in the VOBIS Gold Heath at Caulfield, before finishing midfield as favourite in the Listed Warrnambool Cup. He hasn’t been able to return to the winner's stall since, and now does his racing in Darwin for champion trainer Gary Clarke, with his last effort an 11th placing in the 2023 Darwin Cup.

Castelvecchio (Dundeel {NZ} x St. Therese {Dehere {USA}})

Two weeks off a brave second in the G1 Spring Champion S. in Sydney, Richard Litt would bring his superstar 3-year-old, Castelvecchio, South for a shot at Cox Plate immorality. Having already won the G1 Champagne S. as a juvenile, there was plenty of buzz around his appearance, with champion jockey Craig Williams booked to ride. The plot thickened when the pair ended up leading when turning for the finishing post, and at the 200-metre pole it looked like they’d pinched it. That was until the star mare Lys Gracieux (Jpn) (Heart’s Cry {Jpn}) unleashed a scintillating burst of speed to run him down, giving Japan their first (and to date, only) Cox Plate victory.

Returning for an autumn campaign in 2020 yielded mixed results, a triumph in the G1 Rosehill Guineas was followed by missing a placing as favourite in the G1 ATC Derby. That would be his final run, with a retirement to stand at Arrowfield Stud. His first progeny have gone through the sales ring in the last 12 months, with his highest-priced yearling being a $360,000 colt out of Statuette (Redoute’s Choice) at the 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale. His current service fee is $27,500 (inc GST).

Royal Symphony (Domesday x Naturalist {Palace Music {USA}})

Only one colt attempted to unseat the legendary Winx (Street Cry {Ire}) during her four years of dominance (Yankee Rose {All American} ran as a 3-year-old-filly), with Royal Symphony lining up in 2017 off the back of a slashing run in the G1 Caulfield Guineas. Prior to that, he’d collected consecutive stakes successes as a late season 2-year-old and early season 3-year-old, indicating some strong staying potential. There was legitimate respect afforded to him in the build-up off the back of the turn of foot he possessed. Dean Yendall ended up last on the fence at the halfway mark, following Humidor (NZ) (Teofilo {Ire}) initially before extracting out in an attempt to loop the field. He ran on strongly from a difficult position, holding down fourth as Winx staved off a late scare from Humidor.

It would be a further two years before he would return to the racetrack, with a last-placed effort on Melbourne Cup Day in 2019 the last time he would compete. After being sold in an Inglis Digital sale in January 2020 for $42,500, he now resides at Claremont Thoroughbreds, where he stands for a fee of $4950 (inc GST).

Sweynesse (Lonhro x Swansea {Ire} {Singspiel {USA}})

While the “Winx years” were somewhat light on 3-year-old competition, 2014 was the antithesis of that, with three taking their place in the race that would go on to be won by Adelaide (Ire). Having won the G3 Gloaming S. before a placing in the G1 Spring Champion S. in his two lead-up races, the John O’Shea-trained Sweynesse loomed as a genuine threat to the well-fancied Fawkner (Reset) and Criterion (NZ). As expected, jockey Chad Schofield ended up in the final third of the field from barrier 12, with a strong pace being set further ahead. With a tidal wave of runs commencing ahead of them, a beautiful passage into the straight opened up, with Schofield eagerly guiding the colt into a position to challenge. Just when it looked like the dream was in reach, the door was slammed shut by Happy Trails (Dream Journey {USA}) and Damien Oliver, who stole the only available gap within a stride. Sweynesse would go to the line in eighth, relatively untested in the concluding stages, beaten less than 2l.

Life after the Cox Plate run didn’t afford him any wins to add to his previously accumulated four, with his best run being a strong effort late in the G1 Randwick Guineas to grab second. After not featuring in the finish of the G1 Epsom H. in 2015, he crossed the Tasman to take up residence at Novara Park in New Zealand. Since commencing stallion duties, he’s been a success throughout multiple countries, siring three-time Group 1-winning Hong Kong sprinter Lucky Sweynesse (NZ), Group 2-winning mare Only Words (NZ) and was the New Zealand Champion First Season Sire for 2019/20. He stands this season for a fee of NZ$10,000 (plus GST).

Wandjina (Snitzel x La Bamba {Last Tycoon {Ire}})

Having gone through the sales ring for $1 million in the 2013 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale, there was always a weight of expectation placed on the shoulders of Wandjina. The early signs were promising, with some good runs as a 2-year-old, and a brave placing in the G1 Caulfield Guineas signaling he was starting to put it all together. Having previously rolled along in front, that was always going to be a tall order with The Cleaner (Saviore Vivre {GB}) engaged, and Dean Yendall was able to take up a position just behind the leading division. He was the first to issue the challenge before the corner, claiming the lead momentarily before being joined by a fire-breathing Fawkner to his outside. The final 100 metres saw a brigade of horses, previously sweating on a run, charging down the centre of the course, with Wandjina crossing the line in 10th.

Dusting off this run for an autumn campaign, he would go on to be a dynamic sprinter-miler within the 3-year-old ranks, winning both the G3 CS Hayes S. and G1 Australian Guineas, before a narrow second to Dissident in the G1 All Aged S. One more start awaited, with the colt travelling to the United Kingdom to compete in the G1 King's Stand S. at Royal Ascot. He returned to Australia to commence a stallion career in time for the 2015 breeding season, first at Newgate, and now at Larneuk after a 2021 relocation. To date, leading progeny include G2 Skyline S. winner Mamaragan and Group 3 winners Wandabaa and Tiger Roar. For the 2023 season, his fee is $6600 (inc GST).

Shamus Award (Snitzel x Sunset Express {Success Express {USA}})

Potentially the most famous (and at the time, controversial) instance of a 3-year-old winning a Cox Plate, Shamus Award shocked the racing world when breaking his maiden in “the best two minutes in sport”. On race morning, he was winless from nine starts, with placings in the G1 Caulfield Guineas, G2 VRC Sires’ Produce S. and G2 Stutt S. his best performances to date. When the gates crashed back at the roar of the racegoers greeted the runners of the 2013 edition, Chad Schofield was one of the first to show his cards, sliding the colt forward to take up the running. Before the corner, he was joined by subsequent Melbourne Cup winner Fiorente (Ire), a challenge he was able to repel and make a dash for glory. Just when it looked like the colt had done the near-impossible, Happy Trails came charging out after him, and as the pair crossed the line almost locked together, it was too close to call. In the end, Shamus Award’s number flashed up in the frame, signaling a masterful ride by Schofield and training performance by Danny O’Brien had pulled off a legendary Cox Plate heist.

Following his triumph, he would prove himself to be no one-hit-wonder, denying Criterion in a brilliant edition of the G1 Australian Guineas in 2014. This would be his penultimate run, with the colt being sent to stud without racing beyond three. The successes have continued as a stallion, with Shamus Award being a key pillar of the Rosemont Stud roster, where he is standing in 2023 for a fee of $60,500 (inc GST). Amongst his most successful progeny are Incentivise, El Patroness, Mr Quickie and Media Award. He also has a runner in the 2023 edition of the race, with multiple Group 1-winning mare Duais lining up as a legitimate contender to replicate her sires’ success.