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YES or NO: Which horse can win the Cox Plate?
Connor Scanlon • October 24th, 2025 3:54 pm
The Group 1 Cox Plate (2040m) headlines the Moonee Valley card this Saturday with plenty of Australia’s top horses in the $6 million race.
Mark Hunter has broken down horse by horse which runner can win the Group 1.
See who Hunter believes can win the Cox Plate below:
Light Infantry Man
“You’d think no,” Hunter told SENTrack & RSN’s Giddy Up.
“He won the Australian Cup; he went up to Sydney and got beat 10 lengths by Via Sistina.
“I just don’t think he’s good enough or going well enough.”
Antino
“Yes, it can.”
Attrition
“Very good horse in its own right, but you’d say no."
Buckaroo
“I don’t think so," Hunter said.
“I didn’t like the way he was ridden last time, I think that is the wrong way to ride the horse – getting into a tough dual.
“He’s got one hope in life here – sit back, hope the race unfolds and have a last crack – but I don’t think he can win."
Via Sistina
“Yes.”
Treasurethe Moment
“I’m gonna say no," admitted Hunter.
“The ride is crucial here, she can’t afford to get behind the slow ones and have the good ones go around her.
“That’s why I think she has to own the race early.
“I’m just querying how she’s going after that (colic) setback - she’s going well but is she going at her absolute best - she would need to be to beat a Via Sistina.
Aeliana
“She can win for sure," exclaimed Hunter.
“I think she’s going better than what everyone seems to suggest.
“First-up she ran alongside Via Sistina, nothing wrong with that.
“Second-up she just couldn’t sprint as fast as Mr Brightside, and she held off Via Sistina and Antino.
“Third-up she began too well, she got into a shocking spot for her, back on the fence. Then they sprinted home and she couldn’t wind up, she was really only balanced up the last 100m, getting through the line well.
“She’s a good mare, she’s got a great trainer, she should be absolutely ready to peak.
“If the race works out for her, she can win for sure."
Nepotism
“I think it will run very well," Hunter said.
“The Caulfield Guineas run, it was basically given no hope and it ran well to the line.
“The Champagne win was outstanding – that’s got Cox Plate written all over it.
“Can it beat a horse like Via Sistina? I don’t think so.
"I’ll say no."
