If the Group One record of the trainer and jockey are prerequisites for success in Saturday's Cox Plate at Moonee Valley, then Sirmione will be the one to beat in Australasia's weight-for-age championship.Between master trainer Bart Cummings and champion jockey Damien Oliver they have won 332 Group One races.Cummings has won 249 including three Cox Plates, while Oliver has won 83 including two Cox Plates.They combined to win the 1997 edition with 40-1 shot Dane Ripper.Sirmione, a dual Group One

If the Group One record of the trainer and jockey are prerequisites for success in Saturday's Cox Plate at Moonee Valley, then Sirmione will be the one to beat in Australasia's weight-for-age championship.

Between master trainer Bart Cummings and champion jockey Damien Oliver they have won 332 Group One races.

Cummings has won 249 including three Cox Plates, while Oliver has won 83 including two Cox Plates.

They combined to win the 1997 edition with 40-1 shot Dane Ripper.

Sirmione, a dual Group One winner of the 2007 Mackinnon Stakes at 60-1 and the 2008 Australian Cup, was ridden by Peter Mertens in both of those races.

But Cummings has opted for Oliver and a couple of gear changes - Norton bit off and lugging bit on again - to try to bring out the best in the Encosta De Lago five-year-old who hasn't been placed in four runs at Moonee Valley.

Oliver rode Sirmione for only the second time in his 30-start career when he raced in blinkers again but failed to come on when sixth of seven to Douro Valley in the Yalumba Stakes two weeks ago.

However Cummings said the slowly-run first 1000m thwarted Sirmione on that occasion.

Sirmione has raced against Cox Plate second favourite Princess Coup eight times and beaten her home three times.

Oliver was on the New Zealand mare in five of those meetings, beating Sirmione home each time except for when she was runner-up to him in the Australian Cup.

"They've had some good stoushes. They're both top-class horses on their day and race with similar patterns," Oliver said.

"There is not a lot between them.

"Probably he (Sirmione) has to run up to his best. The set-up of the race is going to make a huge difference. If they go slow in front it's going to be hard for him to come from the back half (of the field) and win."

Sirmione is at $14 with TAB Sportsbet fixed-odds.

Star NSW filly Samantha Miss is the $3.80 favourite, just shading Princess Coup at $4 with Zipping at $7.