Australia's most important weight-for-age event, the Carlton Draught Cox Plate, will be televised live to Hong Kong on Saturday, 22 October from Moonee Valley Racecourse in Melbourne.

The race has special interest, this year, for Hong Kong racing fans with the appearance of the John Moore-trained Super Kid who has turned in two outstanding runs at Group 1 level in Melbourne this spring.

The Carlton Draught Cox Plate runners also include the South African galloper and CXHKIR nominee Greys Inn who ran second to Vengeance Of Rain in the QEII Cup at Sha Tin in April. Other CXHKIR entrants in the field are two-time Melbourne Cup winner Makybe Diva, the David Hayes-trained Confectioner, top class New Zealander Xcellent and Group one winner Outback Prince.

Situated six kilometres north of the city centre, Moonee Valley is the tightest of Melbourne's four racetracks. The course enjoys great popularity, especially when the famous Cox Plate is staged one week prior to the Melbourne Cup.

Moonee Valley is a left-handed circuit with a circumference of 1,805 metres and a home straight of 178 metres.

The 2,040-metre Cox Plate starts at the top of the short straight, giving a very short run to the first turn. Runners who draw wide are usually placed at a disadvantage.

Moreover, as the home run measures only 178 metres, which is even shorter than that of Happy Valley, chances are rather slim for runners who are not near the lead on the final bend.

However, it is not impossible for horses to finish on from behind pending the tempo of the race. Many jockeys tend to make their move as far out as 800 metres from home because of the short straight.

The Moonee Valley track is a Strathayr surface which is turf grown on a sandy base bound together with a synthetic underlay. The track rises 5.05 metres from the 800 metres turn to the finish.

The track is cambered from 7.5 per cent on the turns to 2 per cent in the straights.

Plan of Moonee Valley Racecourse	Aerial photograph of Moonee Valley Racecourse