Former champion jockey and now Godolphin assistant trainer Darren Beadman insists both Hartnell and Complacent are capable of winning the Cox Plate.

But Beadman said he'd go with Complacent if he was still riding and had the choice.

"I just think that he's had the four runs under his belt and after a long lay-off he's never disappointed us once," Beadman said.

Hartnell won the Group One BMW during the Sydney autumn and heads into the Cox Plate after a last-start sixth, beaten less than 1-1/2 lengths, in the Turnbull Stakes second-up.

"I think they've both got the quality, both got the class," Beadman said.

"Both have got a great attitude and they have got the ability. So it wouldn't surprise me if either one of them won."

Beadman won the Cox Plate in 1996 on Saintly.

Godolphin had three horses in the Cox Plate mix but a decision was made not to accept with one-time favourite Contributer.

Contributer will go to the Group One Mackinnon Stakes.

"The team at Godolphin had a discussion on what we felt was going to be the best two horses for the race on present form and they were the two that we came up with, so it was a team decision," Beadman said.