Twelve accept for Cox Plate as Aeliana draws wide

Aeliana will jump from barrier 10 and fellow $4.50 favourite Sir Delius from gate five in Saturday’s Cox Plate, the first running of the race away from The Valley.

Barriers for the 12-horse field were allocated at The Langham on Tuesday night, hours after acceptances closed. Caulfield Guineas winner Warwoven drew barrier two and Ceolwulf barrier three. Both are equal second favourites at $5, and the four runners in single figures will start from gates two, three, five and 10.

Land Legend’s connections had first choice and took barrier 12. The Ciaron Maher-trained galloper was added through a $200,000 late entry on Monday after leading all the way in the Might And Power Stakes.

Maher will have four runners after Saint George was a surprise acceptor alongside Land Legend, Light Infantry Man and Middle Earth. Saint George finished second in the Caulfield Cup last Saturday and drops back to 2040 metres at weight-for-age. Blake Shinn rides him from barrier six.

Middle Earth and Turnbull Stakes winner Cosmic Crusader are also backing up, as is Ceolwulf, who was runner-up to Autumn Glow in the King Charles III Stakes at Randwick.

The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained Sir Delius, to be ridden by Craig Williams, galloped on the Flemington course proper on Tuesday.

“He’s not working quite the same as he did last year, he’s a year older, he’s more mature, but I thought he handled it very well,” Waterhouse said.

“He’s very fit and he’s a happy, happy horse, going into the race.”