Cox Plate confirmed for Hartnell

Godolphin’s preeminent Australian middle-distance performer Hartnell will avoid a Caulfield Cup clash with the stable’s UK counterpart Scottish and will instead have his next run in the G1 WS Cox Plate.

The stable ended growing speculation on Hartnell’s immediate future on Thursday with Godolphin’s Australian managing director Henry Plumptre adding that the son of Authorized would then be considered for a G1 Melbourne Cup start.

“He has a lovely weight in the Caulfield Cup but he was only left in at the last payment stage in case something went wrong with Scottish, purely to see that he gets over his trip OK,” Plumptre said.

“John Ferguson didn’t see much point in running Sheikh Mohammed’s best European stayer against his best Australian stayer in the Caulfield Cup.

“We’ll see what happens after the Cox Plate as to whether he goes on to the Melbourne Cup.”

The G1 Caulfield Cup is run on October 15 with the Cox Plate a week later.

Hartnell has been the revelation of the Australian Spring winning three on end by wide margins, starting with the G2 Chelmsford Stakes followed by the G2 Hill Stakes in Sydney and last weekend’s hollow win in the G1 Turnbull Stakes at Flemington.

While the Cox Plate assignment pits him against the champion filly Winx, who is looking to extend her winning sequence to 12 on end in this week’s G1 Caulfield Stakes, both trainer John O’Shea and jockey James McDonald are content that Hartnell will acquit himself honourably.

“There’s really no consideration being given to what else is going to run in the race,” O’Shea said.

“We’re just focusing on ourselves and giving consideration to our preparation more than anything else.

“It would be an honour to win the Cox Plate for His Highness Sheikh Mohammed.”

For McDonald, the Cox Plate meeting with Winx represents a challenge he is eager to meet.

“I’m excited just to have a live chance in the Cox Plate,” he said.

“Obviously we’re taking on a champion and champions find something extra special under pressure, so Hartnell’s going to need to be at his brilliant best to even be competitive there.

“But I know that’s exactly how he will be on the day.”

O’Shea said Hartnell had taken improvement from his Turnbull Stakes defeat of the high-class filly Jameka.

“You wouldn’t know he’d had the run,” he said.

“He dropped one kilo in weight, he’s made good improvement again, we’re very happy with where he’s at and I think the three-week break before the Cox Plate will be ideal.”

Hartnell had shown good form in his first Australian preparation which was highlighted by his win in the G1 BMW at Rosehill during the Autumn of 2015.

But he raced below that form last Spring.

“To be fair, I probably didn’t train him as well as I am now. As we’ve learned about the horse we’ve worked out that we needed to do a few things differently,” O’Shea said.

“We’re trying to replicate last year’s program this time around, but to execute it better.”