Racing
League
Rugby
Cricket
Golf
Motorsport
Combat Sports
Football
Netball
Basketball
Other Sports
Sport Nation
Cox Plate guide: Tips, tactics, speed map, numbers and history
Andrew Slevison & Mick Gannon • October 24th, 2025 1:31 pm
The Group 1 Cox Plate (2040m) will be run at Moonee Valley this Saturday.
It will be the final edition of Australia’s premier weight-for-age at The Valley as we know it before the track redevelopment.
See the tactics, speed map and recent history of the race below:
TACTICS
TREASURETHE MOMENT - Burst through the gaps in the Memsie after settling rails in run. Is no stranger to barrier 1 this preparation. Expect her to lead or settle leader's back.
ATTRITION - Is fifth-up into this and has the tactical versatility to land on-speed.
LIGHT INFANTRY MAN - Most recent peaks came when ridden with early intent. Ethan Brown and Ciaron Maher have shown they're not afraid of being positive from wide draws on the big stage. He should land on-speed - either lead or outside leader.
NEPOTISM - Surely they show some intent with the 3YO and look to land three pairs back the fence. He won't out-sprint the likes of Antino, so his best chance of running top 3 is by gaining a map position early.
VIA SISTINA - Draws inside Antino and there is little doubt J-Mac will look to land in front of the Queenslander to gain a tactical advantage. Who presses the button first - J-Mac or Blake Shinn?
ANTINO - Draws to settle on the back of Via Sistina and stalk her wherever she goes. Blake will get first crack at the champ and if the pace is too slow in front, he could well be at an advantage looking to catch Via flat-footed.
AELIANA - The decision to take barrier 8 over barrier 1 was intriguing. She'll be forced to settle out the back and will need a suitable race shape from there.
BUCKAROO - Can hold a midfield position, but I suspect Zahra may roll the dice and sit off Shinn and McDonald looking to pick off runs along the rails to take the short way home.
SPEED MAP
TIPS
1st - Aeliana2nd - Via Sistina3rd - Antino4th - Buckaroo
SUMMARY
Banking on neither McDonald or Shinn wanting their pants pulled down in one of the biggest races in our land. Unlike what we've seen in the lead up races, I suspect the pressure will be poured on from the 1000m to 800m which will set the race up perfectly for Aeliana who looks to be trained to the millimetre to produce a career peak.
A fascinating battle of tactics, expect sparks to fly early in what is set to be an absolute spectacle.
Mick Gannon
RECENT HISTORY
Let’s take a look at all the numbers and info from recent Cox Plates.
We’ve cast our eye over the last 15 editions of the great race to try and find some trends for the punters to follow.
AGE
4 - TREASURETHE MOMENT & AELIANA ✅4YOs have won 8 of the last 15.
6 - ATTRITION ✅Romantic Warrior won as a 6YO in 2023. 6YOs have won 3 of the past 8.
7 - LIGHT INFANTRY MAN, ANTINO & BUCKAROO 👍Via Sistina won as a 7YO last year.
3 - NEPOTISM ❌The last 3YO to win was Shamus Award in 2013. Only three 3YOs have won since Octagonal in 1995.
8 - VIA SISTINA ❌The only 8YO was Super Impose in 1992.
NUMBER
6, 7 & 8 - VIA SISTINA, TREASURETHE MOMENT & AELIANA ✅The saddle cloth range from 6 to 8 has saluted in six of the last nine.
No.8 (AELIANA) has won thrice and No.7 (TREASURETHE MOMENT) twice in that time.
BARRIER
Single digit barriers have won 12 of the past 15. This year there is only single digits with only eight runners.
4 - BUCKAROO ✅Barrier 4 has produced two of the last three winners.
6 - ANTINO ✅Barrier 6 has provided three of the past seven winners.
PRICE
Horses right in the market tend to win the Cox Plate.
A starting price of $7.50 (State of Rest and Sir Dragonet) is the longest price in the past 10.
Since Winx thrice won at less than $2, the general price range in recent years has been $2.4 to $7.5, with a trio of odds on winners plus plenty of favourites.
$2.20 - VIA SISTINA / $4 - ANTINO / $6 - TREASURETHE MOMENT ✅
WEIGHT
56.5+ - VIA SISTINA, BUCKAROO, ATTRITION, ANTINO & LIGHT INFANTRY MAN ✅Horses with 56.5kg or more have won the past nine straight.
57 or 57.5kg carriers have been prevalent in winning six of the last nine.
Step up VIA SISTINA. ✅
Step up VIA SISTINA. ✅
The 56 to 59kg range has produced 12 of the past 15 winners
JOCKEY
4 of the 8 jockeys have already won with three of those multiple winners.
VIA SISTINA ✅James McDonald has won the last 3 Cox Plates - on Via Sistina, Romantic Warrior and Anamoe.
AELIANA ✅Hugh Bowman has won 4, all on Winx.
ATTRITION 👍Craig Williams has won 2, On Fields Of Omagh in 2006 and Pinker Pinker in 2011.
TREASURETHE MOMENT 👍Damian Lane won on Japanese Raider Lys Gracieux in 2021.
TRAINER
VIA SISTINA, AELIANA & BUCKAROO ✅Chris Waller has won a handful - 4 with Winx and last year with Via. He has 3 chances this year.
LIGHT INFANTRY MAN 👍Ciaron Maher (with David Eustace) took out the 2020 edition with Sir Dragonet. He saddles up roughie LIGHT INFANTRY MAN.
NEPOTISM 👍John Hawkes, of Team Hawkes, won with Octagonal back in 1995. They have NEPOTISM.
FIELD OF 8
In 2021 there were 10 runners initially before favourite Zaaki and Gold Trip were scratched. International State Of Rest beat Anamoe in a photo after a dramatic protest.
A field of eight started in 2018 when Winx made it four in a row. Only seven finished after King's Will Dream was pulled up.
There were eight in 2017 when Winx won her third.
OVERALL
AGE: TREASURETHE MOMENT, AELIANA & ATTRITION ✅
NUMBER: VIA SISTINA, TREASURETHE MOMENT & AELIANA ✅
BARRIER: BUCKAROO & ANTINO ✅
PRICE: VIA SISTINA, ANTINO & TREASURETHE MOMENT ✅
WEIGHT: VIA SISTINA, BUCKAROO, ATTRITION, ANTINO & LIGHT INFANTRY MAN ✅
JOCKEY: VIA SISTINA & AELIANA ✅
TRAINER: VIA SISTINA, AELIANA & BUCKAROO ✅
TIPS
1 - VIA SISTINA ✅✅✅✅✅2 - AELIANA ✅✅✅✅3 - TREASURETHE MOMENT, BUCKAROO & ANTINO ✅✅✅
Andrew Slevison
