Confusion surrounds status of Cox Plate raider

By Connor Scanlon

The reports of Ciaron Maher purchasing gun northern hemisphere colt, A Boy Named Susie, are not true, according to trainer Donnacha O'Brien.

It was understood in some Australian media that the three-year-old had been purchased by Ciaron Maher Racing for $5 million, and the son of Starspangledbanner was set to be targeted at the 2026 Cox Plate.

O'Brien addressed those reports, exclaiming that A Boy Named Susie had not been sold, but they may still run the horse in the prestigious Victorian Group 1 regardless.

"He hasn't been sold,” O’Brien told Racing Post.

“There's been plenty of interest in him since the Eclipse and there have been discussions with various parties, but no deal has been done.

"We've decided to hold on to him for now and we have some big plans for him at the end of the year such as the Breeders' Cup, the Cox Plate and the Irish Champion Stakes.

"It's been a bit disappointing to see various news outlets report on the sale without checking sources or confirming with us."

Australian bookmakers have marked the colt at a price of $15 for the Cox Plate.

But just how good is A Boy Named Susie and does he have what it takes to win the 2040m Group 1 this year - provided they go that way?

“He's pretty good,” expert UK racing broadcaster Nick Luck told SENTrack & RSN’s Giddy Up.

“He could have finished maybe a little bit closer in the French Derby behind Constitution River. (But) it was a race that was dominated by Aidan O'Brien's three horses who finished first, second, and third, and nothing else could really get into it from off the back.

“He was the best of the rest and given where he was positioned and how inexperienced he was, I thought he ran great.

“Then he surpassed that again in the Eclipse – you’re splitting Constitution River, who's the best horse in Aidan O'Brien's stable at the moment, and Hawk Mountain, who is a pretty talented animal and was a Group 1 winner at two (years old) and has been placed in a classic at three (years old) – that’s really good form.

“He's certainly a perfectly viable contender for the Cox Plate, and that's the race that Donnacha O'Brien was always suggesting he might run in."

With O'Brien hopeful to run A Boy Named Susie in the Cox Plate this year, it will be interesting to see if the talented horse will make the flight down to Australia.