Highland Reel out for glory Down Under Aidan O'Brien Highland Reel is out to make it two straight wins for the yard in one of Australia's biggest prizes, the William Hill Cox Plate at Moonee Valley on Saturday. O'Brien and jockey Ryan Moore teamed up to win last year's Cox Plate with Adelaide and, like Highland Reel, this year's representative lines up having landed the Secretariat Stakes at Arlington Park in Chicago earlier this year. Coolmore's Tom Magnier said: "Adelaide was a great traveller and this horse seems to have travelled well. "The Coolmore team at Werribee seem happy with him. We need a bit of luck on the day but we think we might have a real chance." Peter Chapple-Hyam is excited to see stable star Arod bid for glory. Connections first mentioned the Cox Plate as a potential target after his victory in Ascot's Summer Mile in early July, since when he chased home the brilliant Solow in the Sussex Stakes at Glorious Goodwood. For a while the four-year-old looked like missing out on a trip Down Under due to quarantine rules, but he was eventually given the green light. Chapple-Hyam said: " Everything has gone well. This has been the plan for a long time, although it was on and then off and then on again, but everyone who's with him is very happy. "I've been speaking with the lads twice a day. They've sent me videos of him working and I've been checking on the times and telling them what to do and things like that. It's all worked well. "I'm really looking forward to seeing him run." Arod will be partnered by Craig Williams in the extended 10-furlong contest and the leading Australian jockey is bullish about his chances. He said: " I'm very happy with Arod going into the Cox Plate and very happy with the barrier draw (stall five). "I love his form coming over from Europe. He was second in the Sussex Stakes and Solow, who beat him, arguably would be the best miler in the world. "To have a horse with Arod's credentials in a Cox Plate is a really impressive step for Australian racing and especially Moonee Valley. "He's not going to break clocks as he's quite lazy in his work, but he 's got the best form in the race and the horse is healthy and well." Arod and Highland Reel are joined by French challenger Gailo Chop. Trainer Chris Waller has a formidable hand, with Winx, Preferment and Kermadec all reported in good shape. Waller told www.brisbanetimes.com.au: " They're very good. I couldn't have been happier with their work through this week. "They've got good lead-up form, which is important, and they now come to the grand final in good shape." The Cox Plate is one of the few major prizes Down Under to have so far eluded Gai Waterhouse, who saddles the Kerrin McEvoy-ridden Pornichet. "I've been knocking on the door. It would be lovely to finally win a Cox Plate, it is such a great race," Waterhouse told www.perthnow.com.au.
