Cox Plate nominations came out last week. There hasn't been a huge impact on numbers following COVID. Only five entries less than last year, and the exact same number of Internationals. There wasn't much of a crossover with Cox Plate and Melbourne Cup fields in 2019, but it perhaps give some indication of which overseas trainers are likely to make the journey.

There are plenty of O'Briens among the nominations. Aside from Australia's Danny O'Brien, Aidan O'Brien holds 13 entries, Joseph O'Brien has 8 and Donnacha O'Brien has his first. The other Northern Hemisphere nominees are trained by Roger Charlton, Andrew Balding, Hughie Morrison, Antoine de Watrigant, Francis-Henri Graffard and Willie Mullins. Only local Godolphin runners.

You can see the full list of nominations here: https://www.racingvictoria.com.au/t...164b77d915.ashx

Former Hungarian galloper Nancho, now with Anthony Cummings, is among them. It looks like he won 8 of his last 9 races in Hungary, then went to Germany for two Group victories (one at G3-level, the other a G1). At 1600m and above he is 12:10-2-0. Currently at $51 for the Cox Plate. He beat a pretty decent horse in that German Group 1 and seems to have a running style that would suit The Valley.... Looks to have a high enough handicap to make the final field (the German horse racing site gives him a 96 on their GAG scale, which I think equates to 112 - at least it does on an old conversion post I found).

First acceptances for the Cox Plate are due 8th September. Current favourite is Russian Camelot.