Racing: Probabeel going for glory

Not many owners would turn their back on a A$7.5 million race without any complications to chase a more difficult target worth less money.

But Cambridge Stud boss Brendan Lindsay didn't get into horse racing for the money and hence his superstar mare Probabeel is off to the Cox Plate in Melbourne.

The Kiwi mare has been confirmed to head to the A$5 million Cox Plate at The Valley on October 24 even though she could have stayed in Sydney and raced for 50 per cent more money in the Golden Eagle on October 31.

After sitting three wide to win the Epsom at Randwick on Saturday, Probabeel was the second favourite for the Golden Eagle, in which she would only have to take on her fellow four-year-old whereas in the Cox Plate she not only meets the best local weight for age horses but international raider.

To complicate matters further Probabeel has been in Sydney since February and now faces travelling under potentially tricky circumstances to Melbourne, with strict quarantine measures still in place between the two state's racing industries.

That means immediately after the decision was made yesterday to target the Cox Plate, trainer Jamie Richards didn't know who was going to be able to travel south into Victoria with Probabeel.

"I will work on that next but the Cox Plate is the target now and just to be involved in the 100th running will be special," says Richards.

"And I am hoping we can have a little more luck than last year," he added, referencing Te Akau Shark finishing third from the outside draw.

Richards was happy to target either race but Lindsay and his wife Jo love the sporting side of horse racing and are trying to build on the legacy of Cambridge Stud which they purchased in 2017.

"We are building a museum here to honour all the great horses to have come off this farm and a Cox Plate would look pretty special there," says Brendan Lindsay.

"So that is where I wanted to go and especially being the 100th running of the Cox Plate.

"She is a very special mare and has earned her shot at it."

While she is already a two-time group one winner in Sydney and has won two Karaka Millions at home, victory in a Cox Plate would propel Probabeel into being one of the most commercial broodmare prospects in Australasia and the cornerstone of the elite broodmare band Cambridge Stud are assembling after a horror year with the loss of three stallions last season.

But the Cox Plate competition will be significantly tougher than it would have been in the Golden Eagle, with the Cox market headed by Australia's latest rave galloper Russian Camelot before a couple of top-line Europeans.

So deep is the Cox Plate at this stage Probabeel shared the $17 fifth line of betting with fellow Kiwi mare Verry Elleegant, although the latter is more likely to contest the Caulfield Cup and then the Melbourne Cup.

Kerrin McEvoy who rode Probabeel to win the Epsom from barrier 16 retains the ride for the Cox Plate as he, like several of Sydney's best jockeys, will head to Melbourne after the Everest meeting on October 17 and remain based there for the rest of the spring carnival.