It is seemingly becoming increasingly likely that the field for this year’s $5 million Cox Plate will not feature any international runners.
Michael Browell, the CEO of the Moonee Valley Racing Club, had been hopeful that, at very least, the Joseph O’Brien trained State Of Rest would be back to defend his title after winning the Cox Plate last year, but a lack-lustre recent run in his last start in Europe has might have taken the edge of his connections enthusiasm to undertake the long trip and so his proposed return to Australia could be in doubt.
As a Group 1 winner in America, France, the United Kingdom and Australia, State Of Rest’s presence would add a significant expanded level of interest in the 2022 Cox Plate, even as a stand-alone international representative.
“I know he has had his scans as part of the RVL protocols, but the race in France was below par,” Browell told Racing.com.
“If I said before that race in France we were highly confident (of State Of Rest coming to Australia), I’d say we are less confident now. We are hearing whispers Breeders Cup, Irish Champion Stakes … I wait with great interest.”
Browell also confirmed the ‘shutout’ of any Japanese participation in the Cox Plate, saying that, in the absence commercial flights for Japanese horses, the club had investigated the possibility of arranging a charter flight to Australia from Japan, but it would not have been financially viable.
That, and the fact that the Real World (trained by Saaed bin Suroor), Nations Pride (Charlie Appleby) and Grocer Jack (William Haggas) were all withdrawn from the Cox Plate earlier in the month would appear to have left State Of Rest as the last man standing with final decision on State Of Rest’s Cox Plate involvement expected to be decided by the end of the week.
