Predatory Pricer's Liston Stakes victory has propelled him to the top of Caulfield Cup markers but it is runner-up Whobegotyou who remains all the rage for the Cox Plate.The J J Liston (1400m) on Saturday was the venue for the return of many spring hopefuls with Predatory Pricer coming late to finish a half neck in front of Whobegotyou with Typhoon Tracy another three-quarters of a length third.Trained by Paul Murray at Kembla Grange on the NSW South Coast, Predatory Pricer firmed from $21 to $7
Predatory Pricer's Liston Stakes victory has propelled him to the top of Caulfield Cup markers but it is runner-up Whobegotyou who remains all the rage for the Cox Plate.
The J J Liston (1400m) on Saturday was the venue for the return of many spring hopefuls with Predatory Pricer coming late to finish a half neck in front of Whobegotyou with Typhoon Tracy another three-quarters of a length third.
Trained by Paul Murray at Kembla Grange on the NSW South Coast, Predatory Pricer firmed from $21 to $7.50 on TAB Sportsbet for the Caulfield Cup on April 17 with Vigor, Whobegotyou and Shocking next at $15.
Murray said Predatory Pricer would run next in the Makybe Diva (1600m) on September 5 while Whobegotyou's trainer Mark Kavanagh has that race or the Memsie Stakes (1400m) a week earlier pencilled in for his charge.
A half-brother to champion sprinter Takeover Target, Predatory Pricer was considered for the Golden Slipper Stakes as a juvenile but has always shown great staying promise.
He was twice Group One-placed when second to Sousa in the AJC Spring Champion Stakes and third in the AJC Australian Derby won by Roman Emperor in April.
The Liston (1400m) was his first run since he finished finishing fourth in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes on Anzac Day.
Predatory Pricer impressed jockey Steven King when he trialled at Cranbourne recently and his Liston win came as no surprise.
"He feels like a great horse," King said. "He is very strong."
Predatory Pricer and Whobegotyou are both sons of Street Cry.
Murray paid $425,000 for a Dubawi half-brother to Predatory Pricer at the Easter Yearling sale while Predatory Pricer is raced by a partnership which includes his breeder Tony Hartnell.
Whobegotyou is at $6 for the Cox Plate on October 24 with his stablemate, last year's winner Maldivian at $11 and 2007 winner el Segundo at $12 alongside Predatory Pricer.
Other Cox Plate contenders will step out in Sydney next Saturday in the Group Two Warwick Stakes.
The last Warwick Stakes winner to go on and win the Cox Plate was Sunline a decade ago while the last Liston Stakes winner to claim the weight-for-age championship was So Called in 1978.
Kingston Town won the Warwick Stakes on three occasions in 1980, 1981 and 1982 before going on to win the Cox Plate in each of those years.
Irish mare Profound Beauty is the $13 favourite for the Melbourne Cup but trainer Dermot Weld will not make a decision on whether she comes to Australia until after weights are released early next month.
Former favourite Rebel Raider is now at $17 ahead of his first spring appearance in Saturday's Penny Edition at Morphettville.
Roman Emperor is also at $17 and is scheduled to run in the Show County (1200m) at Randwick on Saturday.