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Nominations released for 2024 Caulfield Cup and Cox Plate

Godolphin trainer Charlie Appleby could end a four-year absence from Melbourne Spring Carnival features after the release of Caulfield Cup and Cox Plate nominations.

Brad Waters
less than 2 min read
August 6, 2024 - 3:05PM
Melbourne Cup-winning trainer Charlie Appleby’s runners could return to the Melbourne Spring Carnival after a four-year absence. Picture: Getty Images.
Melbourne Cup-winning trainer Charlie Appleby’s runners could return to the Melbourne Spring Carnival after a four-year absence. Picture: Getty Images.

Melbourne Cup-winning trainer Charlie Appleby could be back at the spring carnival after a four-year absence and he has left the door open for one of the world’s best gallopers to tackle the Caulfield Cup.

Appleby won the 2018 Melbourne Cup with Cross Counter but has not had a runner in Australia since the stayer finished eighth in the 2019 Melbourne Cup.

Covid and Racing Victoria’s tough veterinary processes have combined to dissuade Appleby from sending teams to Melbourne for the last four spring carnivals.

However, Appleby has entered four runners for the Caulfield Cup, including the world-class stayer Rebel’s Romance, who has won Group 1 races in four countries, including two starts back when he claimed the Champions & Chater Cup in Hong Kong.

Appleby has flagged an intention to take Rebel’s Romance back to Hong Kong for December’s international race day, making a trip to Melbourne possible before heading to Asia.

Appleby’s entries form part of the 36 overseas-trained runners among the 173 nominations for the Caulfield Cup, which will be run on October 19.

Irish master trainer Aidan O’Brien has also entered 19 Caulfield Cup candidates, matching the entry contingent of top local trainer Ciaron Maher.

The Chris Waller stable tops the list of Caulfield Cup nominations with 24.

Meanwhile, last year’s Cox Plate winner Romantic Warrior will not return for a crack at back-to-back wins in The Valley’s weight-for-age championship.

The Hong Kong-trained star was not among the 137 entries for the Cox Plate, which closed at noon on Tuesday.

A trio of Japanese-trained gallopers were entered for the Cox Plate, aiming to become the first from the powerful racing nation to win the event since Lys Gracieux in 2019.

Prognosis, who has solid form around Romantic Warrior in their three meetings in Hong Kong, could make the trip to Melbourne should he run well in his next outing in Japan later this month.

Originally published as Nominations released for 2024 Caulfield Cup and Cox Plate

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