In celebration of the 100th running of the Gr.1 W.S. Cox Plate (2040m) on October 24, the Ladbrokes Cox Plate trophy will take on a tour of New Zealand on March 7 – 14.
New Zealand has been a rich breeding ground of champion racehorses that have taken on the Weight-For-Age championship of Australasia, the W.S. Cox Plate, and have written their names in the history books successfully and been immortalised in ‘The race where legends are made’.
The feature of the Ladbrokes Cox Plate Tour will be the specially made gold Ladbrokes Cox Plate 100 trophy on display for the public to enjoy. Manufactured in Australia, the iconic trophy features a 9ct Solid Yellow Gold Plate, including 9ct Yellow Gold feet with 9ct white gold Rosemount edges and emblems. It contains a total gold weight of approximately 1.6kgs and is valued at $200,000.
The trophy will be on display on Barfoot & Thompson Auckland Cup Day at Ellerslie Racecourse on March 7, South Waikato Racing Club Raceday at Matamata Racecourse on March 11 and Al Basti Equiworld NZ Oaks Day at Trentham Racecourse on March 14.
“The Moonee Valley Racing Club celebrates a significant milestone with Ladbrokes Cox Plate 100 in October and we are excited to get our celebrations underway with the Ladbrokes Cox Plate 100 trophy touring New Zealand,” Moonee Valley Racing Club Chairman Don Casboult said.
“Champions from New Zealand have had such a substantial impact on the W.S. Cox Plate with the likes of Sunline, Bonecrusher and Our Poetic Prince, so it is fitting that we kick-off the tour in this beautiful part of the world..
“I look forward to being trackside on Barfoot and Thompson Auckland Cup Day at Ellerslie Racecourse before we hit the road ahead of a big week of activity.”
The likes of Cox Plate legends in jockeys Brent Thomson (Fury’s Order – 1975 / Family Of Man – 1977 / So Called – 1978 / Dulcify – 1979), Noel Harris (Our Poetic Prince – 1988), Lance O’Sullivan (Surfers Paradise – 1991) and Greg Childs (Sunline 1999 / 2000) will join the tour at different stages.
The tour will also take in many parts of New Zealand where legends of the W.S. Cox Plate stories lie, including Sunline Lodge (Sunline), Waikato Stud (Savabeel & Ocean Park), Windsor Park Stud (Might & Power & So You Think), Trelawney Stud (Ocean Park & Tulloch), Frank & Shaune Ritchie (Bonecrusher), Isola Racing Stables (Solvit) and New Zealand Bloodstock’s Karaka Sales Centre.
The Cox Plate 100 Tour is made possible with the support of New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing, New Zealand Bloodstock, New Zealand Thoroughbred Marketing and TABNZ.
Ladbrokes Cox Plate 100 is on sale on March 2 – www.coxplate.co.nz
