Saturday's Cox Plate will be contested by 13 runners. The current favourite is Racing To Win, but he faces strong opposition from the likes of El Segundo, Grey Swallow and Miss Finland.

CASUAL PASS : Was a narrow winner of the Gp1 Yalumba Stakes last time out, beating high-class Pompeii Ruler a short head. The gelding ran fourth previously in the Underwood Stakes, beaten over lengths at level weights with El Segundo. He has won seven of his 30 starts to date.

6 g Snippets –Raami's Magic, by Raami

FIELDS OF OMAGH : Former winner of this race. Now nine, the gelding was a close up fourth behind Casual Pass at his last start in the Yalumba. Before that was fifth to Lad of the Manor, beaten three and a half lengths in a Gp2 race over a mile. He loves the course and distance and although is getting on in age is not one to ignore. A top class horse, he has won over $4 million. This is the fifth Cox Plate he has competed in.

9 g Rubiton – Finneto, by Cerreto

GREY SWALLOW : Makes his first start in Australia here. A top-class performer, he was third last time out in the Manhattan Hcp (Gr1) behind Cacique (who subsequently won another Gr1). A former of the Irish Derby, Grey Swallow has top international form. He is certainly a well traveled horse, having competed in all of Ireland, Britain, France and the US, before coming to Australia. He has won six of his 14 starts.

5 c Daylami – Style of Life, by The Minstrel

EL SEGUNDO: Currently the second favourite for the race. He was beaten as the hot favourite last time out in the Yalumba, although he was just over a length of the winner. He finished half a length ahead of Fields of Omagh on that occasion. Prior to that he won two in a row, including the Underwood Stakes, a race which has produced its fair share of Cox Plate winners. He has won over the course and distance previously. He has won eight of 15 starts, and been unplaced just three times.

5 g Pins – Palos Verdes, by Oak Ridge

LAD OF THE MANOR: Unplaced last time out as favourite in the Gp1 Turnbull Stakes. He had won a Gp2 race over a mile at Moonee Valley at his penultimate start, defeating fellow Cox Plate runners Apache Cat, Red Dazzler and Fields of Omagh. Fifth behind the great Makybe Diva in this race last year, Lad of the Manor's biggest win to date was the Gr1 Mackinnon Stakes last year, and he was second behind Perfect Promise in the C F Orr Stakes.

7 g Zabeel – Matrona, by Woodman

HONOR IN WAR: Another who makes his Australian debut here. He has attracted plenty of betting support, although it has been a while since he last won a race. He was fourth behind the useful Gouldings Green in the States last time out and the winner did nothing to frank the form when well beaten in Canada next time out. A former Gr1 winner in the US, Honor In War has behind the likes of millionaires English Channel and Miesque's Approval without being disgraced.

8 h Lord at War – Catumbella, by Diesis

OUR SMOKING JOE : Ran last weekend in the Caulfield Cup, where he ran sixth, beaten just over a length by the winner, Tawqeet. Had run second in the Turnbull previously, when beaten a neck by Sphenophyta, a non runner here. Has not won a race since February, when beating Lad of the Manor over 1800 meters. He has yet to win at the highest level, but has been placed in six Gp 1 races. His trainer Lee Freedman won this race last year. There has been plenty of money for Our Smoking Joe.

6 g Encosta de Lago – Dalzing, by Blazing Sword

RACING TO WIN : The ruling favourite. An outstanding racehorse, he has already won four Gp 1 races. He is yet to finish out of the money in 13 starts. Last time out he won the Epsom Hcp (Gp1) over a mile beating multiple Gp1 winner Desert War. Racing To Win has won his last three starts for trainer John O' Shea and defeated Red Dazzler by a length two starts back in the George Main Stakes.

4 g Encosta de Lago – Surrealist, by Kenny's Best Pal

APACHE CAT: Winner of last season's Australian Guineas. He followed that win with a defeat of Racing To Win (at level weights) in a Gp2 race over 1500 meters. He has not won since, but was just touched off by Lad of the Manor two starts back and before that had run just behind El Segundo twice. His best form has been over a mile and it remains to be seen whether he can repeat it over ten furlongs.

4 g Lion Cavern –Tennessee Blaze, by Whiskey Road

RED DAZZLER: Winner of the Toorak Hcp (Gp1) last time out beating top-class filly Rewaaya. Previously second in the George Main Stakes, Red Dazzler was a smart two-year-old, and was second in the Futurity Stakes behind Fields of Omagh earlier this year. He has won four of his 14 starts. There doesn't look like there is much between him, Lad of the Manor and Apache Cat.

4 c Red Ransom – Vain Hill, by Danehill

POMPEII RULER: Lightly raced four-year-old. Has run just eight times, winning five consecutive races before an unplaced run in the Underwood Stakes. He made up for that disappointing run with a close second next time out in the Yalumba Stakes over ten furlongs. Prior to his Underwood run, he defeated Sphenophyta (a subsequent Gp1 winner) in the Gp2 Craiglee Stakes.

4 c Genuine – West With Night, by Pompeii Court

AQUA D'AMORE : Ran second last weekend in the Caulfield Cup (Gp1) behind Tawqeet. She was a close third in the Turnbull previously, but has yet to win at the highest level although she was second to the top-class Eremein in last year's Gp1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes.If she can confirm her last run, she can go close.

5 m Danehill – Romantic River, by Irish River

MISS FINLAND : An outstanding racefilly. She won last year's Golden Slipper in great fashion and followed it up with a second in the Champagne Stakes behind Mentality. She has won three of her four starts as a three-year-old including the 1000 Guineas. She did suffer an injury scare though recently and it is to be hoped that it won't affect her chances. It is the first time she takes on older horses and it looks a tall order for such a young filly.

SELECTION

1 Racing To Win

2 Fields of Omagh

3 Pompeii Ruler