William Samuel Cox (1831–1895) was a pioneer of Thoroughbred racing in Australia.[1] He founded the Moonee Valley Racing Club in 1883,[2] on land he leased in 1882.[1] The Cox Plate, a prestigious horse racing event, is named after him.[1]
Other members of Cox's family to contribute to Australian racing include his sons A. H. (Archie) Cox and W. S. Cox, Jr.; the latter's son William Stanley "Bill" Cox; and his son, William Murray Cox.[1][2] The family was inducted into the Australian Racing Hall of Fame en bloc in 2006.[2]