2 hours Ago By Danny Russell
UK import Docklands has passed a last-minute vet test on Saturday morning, clearing the way for all nine elite runners to take place in a mouth-watering Cox Plate at Moonee Valley. Vets scheduled a second inspection for the Harry Eustace-trained galloper after noticing a change in the horse’s gait at the Werribee quarantine centre on Friday. Docklands has passed a vet test to run in the 2024 Cox Plate.
Credit: Getty Images Connections were relieved when Docklands was given the all-clear at 6.40am on Saturday, 50 minutes before the deadline for final scratchings. The OTI-owned import is having its first start in Australia in the $5 million Cox Plate , and will be ridden by Blake Shinn.
Loading It has been an eventful week for the Cox Plate field, with the well-fancied Chris Waller runner Via Sistina throwing jockey James McDonald to the ground during Tuesday morning’s track work and running an extra three laps of the Moonee Valley circuit. Waller had to completely reorganise the group 1-winning mare’s training regime this week, limiting her programme to beach work and light gallops. He gave her the all-clear on Thursday afternoon after a return training run at the Valley, saying she had “recovered well”.
“She was very sharp around there today, cornered well. I couldn’t fault her. In all honesty, it would be an injustice not to run her,” Waller said.
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