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O’Neill sticking with huge Cox Plate call
SENTrack • September 29th, 2025 7:02 pm
Prominent owner John O’Neill is sticking by his very early Cox Plate call.
Back in June following an impressive win by Autumn Boy in the Listed Tatts Stakes at Eagle Farm, O’Neill made a Cox Plate case for the Chris Waller colt.
Below is what he said of the current Caulfield Guineas favourite.
“I think they’ve found a star there with that horse,” O’Neill said of Autumn Boy on SENTrack after the Brisbane winter carnival.
“I reckon the sky’s the limit for it. I haven’t seen a horse with an action like that forever. For sure, without any doubt (he’s a Caulfield Guineas horse).
“But let me tell you, if Autumn Boy goes for the Cox Plate with 49kg or 50kg, he’ll be hard to beat. I’m tipping a horse that I think is going to be a star.”
Autumn Boy has had two runs back this preparation, including his first-up second to Sixties in the Group 3 Ming Dynasty (1400m) at Rosehill on September 13.
He then endured a torrid run in the weekend’s Group 1 Golden Rose (1400m) when at the rear of the field and then wide throughout under Jason Collett to finish seventh of nine.
Despite his subpar form so far this prep, O’Neill maintains that Autumn Boy is a genuine Cox Plate horse.
“Geez I love people dropping off horses early,” O’Neill said on SENTrack & RSN’s Giddy Up today (Monday, September 29).
“He’s had two starts this time in. Please watch the race on Saturday. He was three and four deep, leaders’ track, and he’s a 1600m to 2000m horse.
“He’ll go to the Caulfield Guineas and run one-two there and he’ll go to the Cox Plate with 49kg.”
The son of The Autumn Sun is currently priced at $26 with Sportsbet for the October 25 Cox Plate at Moonee Valley.
He is the $3.80 favourite for the Caulfield Guineas on October 11.
