Land Legend takes widest Cox Plate barrier as Aeliana draws gate 10
The A$6 million race moves to Flemington while Moonee Valley is rebuilt, with John Allen replacing Mark Zahra on Middle Earth.
Land Legend’s connections chose gate 12 when given the first selection at the Cox Plate barrier draw, while Aeliana received barrier 10 and Sir Delius gate five in the 12-horse field.
The 2,040m weight-for-age race will be held at Flemington this year because Moonee Valley is undergoing reconstruction. Connections select a starting gate when their horse’s name is drawn.
Land Legend enters after leading throughout the Might And Power Stakes to beat Sheza Alibi in track-record time. Fellow Ciaron Maher runner Light Infantry Man will start alongside him in barrier 11.
Birdman has the inside gate with Ben Melham aboard. Warwoven, winner of the Golden Rose Stakes and Caulfield Guineas, drew barrier two, while Ceolwulf has gate three after finishing second to Autumn Glow in the King Charles III Stakes.
The other three-year-old, Blind Raise, starts from barrier nine with Jamie Melham riding. Attrition has gate four, Saint George six, Middle Earth seven and Cosmic Crusader eight.
Middle Earth’s rider changed shortly before the draw after Mark Zahra received medical advice not to ride at the weekend following his Caulfield Cup fall. John Allen, who rode State Of Rest to victory in the 2021 Cox Plate, takes over. Zahra was hospitalised after the fall but cleared of serious injury.
