Ladbrokes Cox Plate (Group 1)

IN the wake of the Irish-bred and -trained State Of Rest’s tough win in the Ladbrokes Cox Plate last Saturday, both on the track and for 30 minutes in the stewards’ room, attention shifted to whether the MacKinnon Stakes on the final day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival and a race against Zaaki which would see the Starspangledbanner colt sign off on his Melbourne spring.