Cox Plate 2026 Results: Cosmic Crusader Wins at $9.50

Cosmic Crusader won the 2026 Cox Plate.

Cosmic Crusader won the 2026 Cox Plate. Here is the full result and finishing order from the Cox Plate (Group 1 weight-for-age, 2040m), run at Flemington for the first time on Saturday 24 October 2026 while Moonee Valley is redeveloped. Cosmic Crusader ($9.50) won for trainer Andrea Leek and jockey William Pike, ahead of Chris Waller’s pair Birdman ($11) and the favourite Aeliana ($4.20). Below: the race facts, the result, the complete finishing order, how it was won and what it means for the Melbourne Cup.

Cox Plate 2026: The Race

Detail	Value
Race	Cox Plate (Group 1 weight-for-age)
Distance	2040m
Venue	Flemington, Melbourne (moved from Moonee Valley for 2026)
Date	Saturday 24 October 2026, 5:10pm AEDT (race 8)
Track	Good
Prize money	$6 million
Field	12 runners

 

Cox Plate 2026 Result

Detail	Value
Winner	Cosmic Crusader
Starting price	$9.50
Jockey	William Pike
Trainer	Andrea Leek
Runner-up	Birdman ($11)
Third	Aeliana ($4.20), the favourite
Fourth	Ceolwulf ($8.50)

 

Cox Plate 2026 Full Finishing Order

Pos	Horse	Wt	Jockey	Trainer	SP
1	Cosmic Crusader	59kg	William Pike	Andrea Leek	$9.50
2	Birdman	59kg	Ben Melham	Chris Waller	$11
3	Aeliana	57kg	James McDonald	Chris Waller	$4.20
4	Ceolwulf	59kg	Chad Schofield	Joseph Pride	$8.50
5	Saint George	59kg	Blake Shinn	Ciaron Maher	$19
6	Sir Delius	59kg	Craig Williams	Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott	$5
7	Warwoven	49.5kg	Rachel King	Bjorn Baker	$4.80
8	Middle Earth	59kg	John Allen	Ciaron Maher	$71
9	Attrition	59kg	Jamie Mott	Mitchell Freedman	$71
10	Blind Raise	49.5kg	Jamie Melham	Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young	$12
11	Light Infantry Man	59kg	Harry Coffey	Ciaron Maher	$21
12	Land Legend	59kg	Ethan Brown	Ciaron Maher	$41

 

How the 2026 Cox Plate Was Won

Andrea Leek’s six-year-old Cosmic Crusader came into the race off a fourth as the $4.80 favourite in the Caulfield Cup a week earlier, and stormed home down the Flemington straight to beat Chris Waller’s Birdman ($11), with Waller’s mare Aeliana, the $4.20 favourite, third and Joseph Pride’s Ceolwulf fourth. Waller was chasing a record-equalling seventh Cox Plate and filled second and third. William Pike said the horse was calmer through the first half of the race and strong through the line.

Leek is the third woman to train a Cox Plate winner and the first from Australia, and Pike is the first Western Australian-based jockey to win it. Sir Delius, a one-time favourite, was overrun in the straight and finished sixth, and the three-year-old Warwoven ran seventh.

What the Result Means

Earlier on the card, Juja Kibo won the Moonee Valley Gold Cup (2500m) for Ciaron Maher, who trained the first three home with Kings Valley second and Mr Monaco third, and the win earns Juja Kibo a ballot-exempt start in the Melbourne Cup on Tuesday 3 November. Cosmic Crusader’s connections had not said whether he will run in the Melbourne Cup when this was published. Derby Day at Flemington on Saturday 31 October is the last chance to earn a start, and the Cup field and barriers follow. See our Melbourne Cup tips for the latest market.

How our tips went: a losing race. Our best bet Warwoven ran seventh, and the trifecta box of Warwoven, Sir Delius and Aeliana missed, with only Aeliana placing. Birdman, the fourth leg we added for a first four, ran second. We noted Cosmic Crusader backing up from his Caulfield Cup run but did not tip him.

Cox Plate Tips, Guide & Past Winners

For the full Cox Plate guide, race history, past winners and betting markets, see our Cox Plate tips & betting guide. For the rest of the carnival, visit the Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival hub, and for the next Group 1s, our Victoria Derby tips and Melbourne Cup tips.

Best Bookmakers for the Cox Plate

For a full comparison of the top Australian racing bookmakers, see our best horse racing betting sites in Australia guide.

Cox Plate 2026 Results FAQs

Who won the 2026 Cox Plate?

Cosmic Crusader won the 2026 Cox Plate at $9.50, ridden by William Pike and trained by Andrea Leek, from Birdman and the favourite Aeliana.

What did the 2026 Cox Plate winner pay?

Cosmic Crusader started at $9.50 and beat Birdman ($11, 2nd) and Aeliana ($4.20, 3rd). Aeliana was the favourite.

Where was the 2026 Cox Plate run?

At Flemington, for the first time in the race’s history, because Moonee Valley is closed for redevelopment. It was run over 2040m on Saturday 24 October 2026 on a Good track.

How many runners were in the 2026 Cox Plate?

Twelve horses started in the Group 1 Cox Plate over 2040m, two short of the maximum.

Who trained the 2026 Cox Plate winner?

Andrea Leek, who became the third woman to train a Cox Plate winner and the first from Australia. William Pike became the first Western Australian-based jockey to win the race.