A look at some of the unexposed 3Yos who were among the entries for this year’s Cox Plate
Most of the expected big names were there when Cox Plate first acceptances closed on Tuesday but, as usual, there were a number of gallopers who, at this stage, look out of place among the entries for 'Australia's best race'.
Akicita was one of three unraced entries, but that Grunt colt kicked off his career with a stunning win at Pakenham at around the time first acceptances were announced.
Trapeze Artist colt Gallant Prince, another unraced three-year-old among the entries, made his debut in Wednesday's first race at Sandown, encountering a chequered passage before finishing fourth in a race that contained another three-year-old Cox Plate entry, Wolfy.
That leaves Dundeel colt Sekani as the only unraced entry among this year's 178 Cox Plate nominations.
The Michael, Wayne and John Hawkes-trained colt is out of the Redoute's Choice mare Honesty Prevails, which makes him a half-brother to Profondo, a son of Deep Impact who won the Group 1 Spring Champion Stakes at his third start.
The $1 million Inglis Easter yearling had his first trial in late summer and reappeared at Rosehill on July 21, finishing a two-length fifth over 900m, and is down to trial again over 900m at Rosehill this Friday.
Sekani, Akicita and Gallant Prince were the only unraced gallopers among this year's entries, but there are several other unexposed three-year-olds with no Black Type form who were paid-up-for.
Ashfall: Chris Waller-trained son of The Autumn Sun who has had two provincial starts, both over 1400m, for a debut third at Kembla Grange before a strong Hawkesbury maiden win on June 11.
Copacabana: Hawkes Racing son of Toronado, from the Lonhro mare Promenades, whose only appearance to date was in a 1200m Warwick Farm maiden on May 21.
El Poder Del Sol: Brother to this year's ATC Derby runner-up Virtuous Circle who, like that son of Almanzor, is trained by Liam Howley and has had the one start for an eye-catching fourth over 1400m at Flemington on May 20. Was a soft winner of an 800m Flemington jumpout on August 1.
Esskay: Danny O'Brien-trained son of Japanese stallion Real Steel who won a 1300m Sandown maiden on debut back in March and hinted he was in for a good preparation with a slick Flemington 800m jumpout on Monday morning when narrowly beaten by Blue Diamond winner Little Brose.
Mollynickers: One of only two fillies nominated for the race, alongside her Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman-trained stablemate Legacies, the daughter of Cox Plate placegetter Pierro was beaten at Ballarat on debut before breaking her maiden over 1208m at Moe ahead of a brilliant win in the 1400m VOBIS Gold Ingot at Caulfield on July 22.
Scheelite: Another by Real Steel, this one trained by Ken and Kasey Keys, who has two starts for two Saturday city wins in Melbourne, over 1000m and 1100m.
Spellmaster: Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young-trained Savabeel colt who has finished second at his only two starts to date; in a 1400m Bendigo maiden on June 29 and a 1300m Sandown maiden two weeks later. He's entered for a 1200m maiden at Moe on Sunday.
Sunsets: Like Spellmaster, a son of Savabeel from the Busuttin/Young yard. Was unplaced in country maidens at his first two starts but looked better out to 1400m at start three when narrowly beaten by Ambassadorial at Sandown on July 26. He is an acceptor at Bendigo on Thursday and Geelong on Friday and also holds a nomination for Kerang on Saturday.
Zucchero: Stablemate to Copacabana who is by Dundeel out of a Snitzel mare who is a three-quarter-sister to Sangster Stakes winner Secret Agenda. Encountered a chequered passage when fifth in a 1200m Newcastle maiden on July 29 at his only start to date.
