The W.S. Cox Plate is Australasia’s premier weight-for-age championship, run over 2040 metres at Moonee Valley (Flemington in 2026). In 2025, the $6 million feature was won by star mare Via Sistina, trained by Chris Waller and ridden by James McDonald, successfully defending her title carrying 57.0kg.
Recent Cox Plate Winners
- 2025 – Via Sistina: Chris Waller’s champion 8yo mare made history by securing back-to-back victories under James McDonald as the favourite.
- 2024 – Via Sistina: The import produced an astonishing performance to break the track record, bolting away for an eight-length victory.
- 2023 – Romantic Warrior: Danny Shum’s Hong Kong superstar edged out Mr Brightside in a dramatic photo-finish under James McDonald.
| Year | Horse | Jockey | Trainer | Barrier | Weight | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Via Sistina | James McDonald | Chris Waller | 5 | 57.0 kg | $2.25 |
| 2024 | Via Sistina | James McDonald | Chris Waller | 4 | 57.0 kg | $5.00 |
| 2023 | Romantic Warrior | James McDonald | Danny Shum | 7 | 59.0 kg | $3.50 |
| 2022 | Anamoe | James McDonald | James Cummings | 4 | 57.5 kg | $2.40 |
| 2021 | State Of Rest | John Allen | Joseph O’Brien | 6 | 56.5 kg | $7.50 |
| 2020 | Sir Dragonet | Glen Boss | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace | 6 | 59.0 kg | $7.50 |
| 2019 | Lys Gracieux | Damian Lane | Yoshito Yahagi | 11 | 57.0 kg | $3.50 |
| 2018 | Winx | Hugh Bowman | Chris Waller | 6 | 57.0 kg | $1.20 |
| 2017 | Winx | Hugh Bowman | Chris Waller | 5 | 57.0 kg | $1.10 |
| 2016 | Winx | Hugh Bowman | Chris Waller | 3 | 57.0 kg | $1.70 |
Full List of Cox Plate Winners Since 1922
Inaugurated in 1922, the race was named in honour of William Samuel Cox, founder of the Moonee Valley Racing Club.
| Year | Horse | Jockey | Trainer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Via Sistina | James McDonald | Chris Waller |
| 2024 | Via Sistina | James McDonald | Chris Waller |
| 2023 | Romantic Warrior | James McDonald | Danny Shum |
| 2022 | Anamoe | James McDonald | James Cummings |
| 2021 | State Of Rest | John Allen | Joseph O’Brien |
| 2020 | Sir Dragonet | Glen Boss | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace |
| 2019 | Lys Gracieux | Damian Lane | Yoshito Yahagi |
| 2018 | Winx | Hugh Bowman | Chris Waller |
| 2017 | Winx | Hugh Bowman | Chris Waller |
| 2016 | Winx | Hugh Bowman | Chris Waller |
| 2015 | Winx | Hugh Bowman | Chris Waller |
| 2014 | Adelaide | Ryan Moore | Aidan O’Brien |
| 2013 | Shamus Award | Chad Schofield | Danny O’Brien |
| 2012 | Ocean Park | Glen Boss | Gary Hennessy |
| 2011 | Pinker Pinker | Craig Williams | Greg Eurell |
| 2010 | So You Think | Steven Arnold | Bart Cummings |
| 2009 | So You Think | Glen Boss | Bart Cummings |
| 2008 | Maldivian | Michael Rodd | Mark Kavanagh |
| 2007 | El Segundo | Luke Nolen | Colin Little |
| 2006 | Fields Of Omagh | Craig Williams | David Hayes |
| 2005 | Makybe Diva | Glen Boss | Lee Freedman |
| 2004 | Savabeel | Chris Munce | Graeme Rogerson |
| 2003 | Fields Of Omagh | Steven King | Tony McEvoy |
| 2002 | Northerly | Patrick Payne | Fred R. Kersley |
| 2001 | Northerly | Damien Oliver | Fred R. Kersley |
| 2000 | Sunline | Greg Childs | Trevor McKee |
| 1999 | Sunline | Greg Childs | Trevor McKee |
| 1998 | Might And Power | Jim Cassidy | Jack Denham |
| 1997 | Dane Ripper | Damien Oliver | Bart Cummings |
| 1996 | Saintly | Darren Beadman | Bart Cummings |
| 1995 | Octagonal | Shane Dye | John Hawkes |
| 1994 | Solvit | David Walsh | Moira Murdoch |
| 1993 | The Phantom Chance | Robert Vance | Colin Jillings |
| 1992 | Super Impose | Greg Hall | Lee Freedman |
| 1991 | Surfers Paradise | Lance O’Sullivan | Dave O’Sullivan |
| 1990 | Better Loosen Up | Michael Clarke | David Hayes |
| 1989 | Almaarad | Michael Clarke | Colin Hayes |
| 1988 | Our Poetic Prince | Noel Harris | John Wheeler |
| 1987 | Rubiton | Harry White | P. C. Barns |
| 1986 | Bonecrusher | Gary Stewart | Frank T. Ritchie |
| 1985 | Rising Prince | Kevin Langby | Ms D. Stein |
| 1984 | Red Anchor | Mick Dittman | Tommy Smith |
| 1983 | Strawberry Road | Mick Dittman | Doug Bougoure |
| 1982 | Kingston Town | Peter Cook | Tommy Smith |
| 1981 | Kingston Town | Ron Quinton | Tommy Smith |
| 1980 | Kingston Town | Malcolm Johnston | Tommy Smith |
| 1979 | Dulcify | Brent Thomson | Colin Hayes |
| 1978 | So Called | Brent Thomson | Colin Hayes |
| 1977 | Family of Man | Brent Thomson | George Hanlon |
| 1978 | So Called | Brent Thomson | Colin Hayes |
| 1975 | Brent Thomson | Brent Thomson | Colin Hayes |
| 1974 | Fury’s Order | Brent Thomson | W. McEwan |
| 1973 | Taj Rossi | Roy Higgins | Bart Cummings |
| 1972 | Gunsynd | Roy Higgins | Tommy Smith |
| 1971 | Tontonan | Roy Higgins | Tommy Smith |
| 1970 | Tontonan | Roy Higgins | Tommy Smith |
| 1969 | Daryl’s Joy | Roy Higgins | Syd Brown |
| 1968 | Rajah Sahib | George Moore | T. J. Hughes |
| 1967 | Tobin Bronze | Roy Higgins | W. A. Murrell |
| 1966 | Tobin Bronze | Roy Higgins | W. A. Murrell |
| 1965 | Star Affair | Frank Moore | A. R. White |
| 1964 | Sir Dane | George Moore | Tommy Smith |
| 1963 | Summer Prince | George Moore | Tommy Smith |
| 1962 | Aquanita | Frank Moore | Roy Shaw |
| 1961 | Dhaulagiri | Frank Moore | Brian Courtney |
| 1960 | Tulloch | Neville Sellwood | Tommy Smith |
| 1959 | Noholme | Neville Sellwood | Tommy Smith |
| 1958 | Yeman | Scobie Breasley | Frank Hoysted |
| 1957 | Redcraze | Arthur Ward | Tommy Smith |
| 1956 | Ray Ribbon | Jack Purtell | Frank Hoysted |
| 1955 | Kingster | Arthur Ward | Frank McGrath |
| 1954 | Rising Fast | Jack Purtell | Ivan Tucker |
| 1953 | Hydrogen | Billy Cook | Harry Plant |
| 1952 | Hydrogen | Billy Cook | Harry Plant |
| 1951 | Brontes | Neville Sellwood | Frank McGrath |
| 1950 | Alister | Jack Purtell | Frank Hoysted |
| 1949 | Delta | Neville Sellwood | Maurice McCarten |
| 1948 | Carbon Copy | Arthur Ward | Sterling Patterson |
| 1947 | Hydrogen | Billy Cook | Harry Plant |
| 1946 | Flight | Jack Purtell | Frank McGrath |
| 1945 | Flight | Jack Purtell | Frank McGrath |
| 1944 | Tranquil Star | Scobie Breasley | R. Cameron |
| 1943 | A deliberate | Scobie Breasley | Frank Hoysted |
| 1942 | Tranquil Star | Scobie Breasley | R. Cameron |
| 1941 | Beau Vite | Darby Munro | Frank McGrath |
| 1940 | Beau Vite | Darby Munro | Frank McGrath |
| 1939 | Mosaic | Darby Munro | Frank McGrath |
| 1938 | Ajax | Harold Badger | Frank McGrath |
| 1937 | Young Idea | Darby Munro | Frank McGrath |
| 1936 | Young Idea | Darby Munro | Frank McGrath |
| 1935 | Garrio | Harold Badger | Jack Holt |
| 1934 | Chatham | Jim Pike | Frank McGrath |
| 1933 | Rogilla | Darby Munro | L. J. O’Sullivan |
| 1932 | Chatham | Jim Pike | Frank McGrath |
| 1931 | Phar Lap | Jim Pike | Harry Telford |
| 1930 | Phar Lap | Jim Pike | Harry Telford |
| 1929 | Nightmarch | Roy Reed | A. McAulay |
| 1928 | Highland | W. Duncan | Jack Holt |
| 1927 | Amounis | Jim Pike | Frank McGrath |
| 1926 | Heroic | J. Daniels | Jack Holt |
| 1925 | Manfred | Jim Pike | Cecil T. Godby |
| 1924 | Gloaming | George Young | R. J. Mason |
| 1923 | Easingwold | G. Harrison | Jack Holt |
| 1922 | Violoncello | W. Duncan | Isaac Foulsham |
Cox Plate Records
Horses to Win Cox Plate More Than Once
Multiple legends have notched multiple Cox Plate victories, highlighted by the legendary mare Winx:
- Winx (4 wins): 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018
- Kingston Town (3 wins): 1980, 1981, 1982
- Via Sistina (2 wins): 2024, 2025
- So You Think (2 wins): 2009, 2010
- Fields Of Omagh (2 wins): 2003, 2006
- Northerly (2 wins): 2001, 2002
- Sunline (2 wins): 1999, 2000
- Tobin Bronze (2 wins): 1966, 1967
- Hydrogen (2 wins): 1952, 1953
- Flight (2 wins): 1945, 1946
- Tranquil Star (2 wins): 1942, 1944
- Beau Vite (2 wins): 1940, 1941
- Young Idea (2 wins): 1936, 1937
- Chatham (2 wins): 1932, 1934
- Phar Lap (2 wins): 1930, 1931
Most Successful Cox Plate Trainers
- Tommy Smith (7 wins): Redcraze (1957), Tulloch (1960), Noholme (1959), Gunsynd (1972), Kingston Town (1981, 1982), Red Anchor (1984).
- Chris Waller (6 wins): Winx (2015, 2016, 2017, 2018), Via Sistina (2024, 2025).
- Jack Holt (6 wins): Easingwold (1923), Heroic (1926), Highland (1928), Garrio (1935), and others.
- Bart Cummings (5 wins): Taj Rossi (1973), Dane Ripper (1997), Saintly (1996), So You Think (2009, 2010).
Most Successful Cox Plate Jockeys
- Darby Munro (5 wins): Rogilla (1933), Young Idea (1936, 1937), Mosaic (1939), Beau Vite (1940, 1941).
- Hugh Bowman (4 wins): Winx (2015, 2016, 2017, 2018).
- James McDonald (4 wins): Anamoe (2022), Romantic Warrior (2023), Via Sistina (2024, 2025).
- Glen Boss (4 wins): Makybe Diva (2005), So You Think (2009), Ocean Park (2012), Sir Dragonet (2020).
- Brent Thomson (4 wins): Fury’s Order (1974), Family of Man (1977), So Called (1978), Dulcify (1979).
- Jack Purtell (4 wins): Flight (1945, 1946), Alister (1950), Rising Fast (1954).
Cox Plate Race Winner & Odds
- Date: Saturday, October 24, 2026
- Track: Flemington, Melbourne, VIC
- Distance: 2040m
- Conditions: Set Weights
- Status: Group 1
- Prize Money: $6 million
- First Run: 1922
- Current Champion: Via Sistina
Cox Plate odds are available, so bet now on the big race at Flemington.