Ladbrokes Cox Plate Form 2019: Two Words on Each Horse

This Saturday at The Valley we enter the post-Winx era of the Ladbrokes Cox Plate and without the mighty mare to dominate proceedings it’s a tougher test to predict the next weight-for-age star – enter our insider two-word 2019 Cox Plate form guide.

Kings Will Dream. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.

Kings Will Dream is one of two Chris Waller-trained 2019 Cox Plate horses looking to follow in the steps of Winx. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.

For the first time in five years the Group 1 $5 million Ladbrokes Cox Plate (2040m) will take place without Chris Waller’s superstar who set the record with four straight victories in the classic.

It is the 98^th edition of the Cox Plate this year and it remains a star-studded field including a strong presence of international raiders looking to Adelaide (2014) as the sole champion trained in the northern hemisphere.

From Japan there’s Kluger along with the highly-rated favourite Lys Gracieux in line for a $2 million bonus from Ladbrokes.com.au should the daughter of Heart’s Cry come out and win fresh as betting suggests.

For the locals, four-year-old mare Verry Elleegant and last start Turnbull winner Kings Will Dream will look to continue the Cox Plate fairytale for Waller filling the shoes of their incredibly accomplished retired stablemate.

A win by King’s Will Dream, to be ridden by Winx’s regular hoop Hugh Bowman, would surely bring tears to Waller’s eyes with the galloper back after nearly losing his life in last year’s race.

Enter three-year-old lightweight Castelvecchio and one-time favourite Mystic Journey who could still become one of the great mares of our time, and there’s plenty to like about the Cox Plate in 2019.

To help punters sort the pretenders from the genuine contenders below we’ve summed up the winning chances of all the Cox Plate horses in just two words.