Horse Racing

Moonee Valley Preview: Maher Planning For A Gold Cox Plate Trip

3 years ago - Sportingbase

Leading trainer Ciaron Maher has compared his Cox Plate runner Gold Trip to his 2020 winner Sir Dragonet and he’s talking up his chances.

“I’m very happy with him. He’s similar to Sir Dragonet. They have similar form and they’re the same type of horses as when the race heats up 1000 metres from home, they have the capacity to come into the race,” Maher said on RSN.

Maher said running Gold Trip in the Cox Plate had always been at the forefront of his plans and not an after thought after he finished second in the Caulfield Cup.

“I was always thinking Cox Plate all spring as I thought a high intensity 2000 metres would suit him,” Maher said.

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“The rain came for Caulfield Cup so we ran him. The big plus was the way he came through it. He bounced through it and pulled up better than the start,” he said.

“The weather will be in his favour and I’m also unsure whether he’ll stay 3200m. This has been the main plan for him.”

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Maher said he had also been waiting for the right time to put blinkers on Gold Trip and that there was no better time than the Cox Plate to do so.

“He’ll focus a little bit more with them on. It should help him travel a little bit better.”
Gold Trip has been $21 into $13 with TopSport for the Cox Plate.

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