Americain has been given topweight of 58kg in his bid to become just the fifth horse to win back-to-back Emirates Melbourne Cups.The all-important weights for 'the race that stops a nation', to be run at Flemington 1 November, were released today by Racing Victoria's Chief Handicapper, Greg Carpenter.French-trained Americain, who is in quarantine in the UK in readiness for his return to Australia on 24 September, carried 54.5kg when victorious in the 150th Cup last November.The great Makybe Diva
Americain has been given topweight of 58kg in his bid to become just the fifth horse to win back-to-back Emirates Melbourne Cups.
The all-important weights for 'the race that stops a nation', to be run at Flemington 1 November, were released today by Racing Victoria's Chief Handicapper, Greg Carpenter.
French-trained Americain, who is in quarantine in the UK in readiness for his return to Australia on 24 September, carried 54.5kg when victorious in the 150th Cup last November.
The great Makybe Diva is the only horse to carry 58kg or more to victory in the past 30 years. She did so when completing her historic hat-trick of Cup wins in 2005.
"Americain was a dominant winner of the race last year in what was one of the most competitive editions of the Melbourne Cup ever staged. The task of carrying 58kg, an increase of 3.5kg on his weight in 2010 provides a significant challenge, as it should, in his bid to win successive Cups," Carpenter said.
The top three weighted horses in this year's $6.2m race are all internationals with 2010 USA Breeders Cup Turf winner Dangerous Midge on 57.5kg and fellow UK-trained stayer Jukebox Jury on 57kg.
Gallant grey Jukebox Jury defeated Americain two starts back in the Group 2 Prix Kergorlay (3000m) at France's Deauville racecourse, before dead-heating in Saturday's Group 1 Irish St Leger (2800m).
His trainer Mark Johnston, who saddled up three Melbourne Cup runners in the 1990's, also has Fox Hunt (53kg) entered for the famous 3200m handicap.
"Jukebox Jury has been in outstanding form in Europe this season having defeated fellow Cup aspirants Americain, Manighar, Dunaden and Red Cadeaux to win the Prix Kergorlay over 3000 metres in France, before sharing the prize with Duncan in Saturday's Irish St Leger," Carpenter said.
"He is undefeated at distances beyond 2400m and has now won two Group 1 races, as well as being a four time winner at Group 2 level."
Much interest centred today upon the weights allocated to the 14 international entrants that are not entered for next month's BMW Caulfield Cup (2400m) for which weights were released by Carpenter on 31 August.
Godolphin's 2009 Arc De Triomphe placegetter Cavalryman has been allocated 55kg with emerging stablemate Lost In The Moment given 53kg, the same weight carried by the stable's past two Cup placegetters Crime Scene (second, 2009) and Beekeeper (third, 2002).
Red Cadeaux, who finished third in the Irish St Leger, has 53.5kg, whilst the talented Meeznah, an impressive Group 2 winner in the UK last Thursday, is the highest weighted mare on 53kg.
Two-time winner Dermot Weld's entrants Galileo's Choice and Sense Of Purpose have received 52.5kg and 51.5kg respectively, but the pair are unlikely to come with the former yet to pass the first ballot.
Of the other internationals nominated for the Melbourne Cup only, the Brian Ellison-trained pair of Saptapadi and Ebor Handicap winner Moyenne Corniche both have 52kg and thus are not yet guaranteed a start.
Several runners have progressed in the weights for the Melbourne Cup as a result of victories since the release of the Caulfield Cup weights including the Sir Michael Stoute-trained UK entrant Modun.
Modun, who did not accept for the Caulfield Cup last week after being an original entry, has had his weight lifted from 51kg to 53kg following a stylish win in the Group 3 September Stakes (2400m) at Kempton (UK).
Closer to home, Trusting rises 1kg to 53kg in the Melbourne Cup for his win in the Group 2 Chelmsford Stakes (1600m) in Sydney on 3 September, whilst current TAB Sportsbet second favourite December Draw has been lifted from 50kg to 50.5kg courtesy of his effortless 2000m Flemington win on the same day.
"A later release of the Melbourne Cup weights has allowed more form to be built into the handicaps and impressive victories to Modun, Trusting and December Draw have all seen varying increases in their weights when compared to their Caulfield Cup mark," Carpenter explained.
Both Trusting and December Draw are yet to pass the first ballot clause which, in summary, requires a peak performance in a race 2300m or further since 1 August 2009. A top eight finish in the Caulfield Cup on 15 October is one way for a horse to pass the ballot.
The weights allocated other key runners are as follows;
- Descarado - The 2010 BMW Caulfield Cup winner was pulled up in last year's Melbourne Cup when carrying 54kg. He rises to 56kg this year and is the highest weighted Australian entrant.
- Maluckyday - Last year's Melbourne Cup runner-up rises from 51kg in 2010 to 54kg this year.
- Shamrocker - The TAB Sportsbet favourite, who will be ridden by three-time Cup winner Glen Boss, has 52kg, the same weight she has been allocated in the Caulfield Cup.
- Scarlett Lady - The New Zealand-trained Queensland Oaks winner, who is third favourite with TAB Sportsbet and nominated to make her Melbourne debut at Caulfield this Saturday, has 51kg.
- Mighty High - The first international entrant to arrive for this year's race, Mighty High is currently in quarantine at the Werribee International Horse Centre. The last start Group 1 winner has 54.5kg.
- Bauer - The veteran UK stayer has 52kg, the same weight he carried to second in the 2008 Melbourne Cup, but he is yet to pass the first ballot and faces a challenge to make the field.
- Illo - German import Illo, the most intriguing of Bart Cummings' five Cup entrants, has 53kg which is 0.5kg less than stablemate Precedence who returns after finishing eighth in last year's Cup.
- Lucas Cranach - The 'plunge horse' in early Cups betting, German stayer Lucas Cranach, who arrives in Australia on 24 September to join the Anthony Freedman stable, has been given 53.5kg.
- Moody's Mares - Peter Moody's classy four-year-old mares King's Rose and Lights Of Heaven both have 51.5kg, but neither has passed the first ballot clause so they are not yet guaranteed a start.
- Lloyd Williams - Leviathan owner and three-time Melbourne Cup winner Lloyd Williams has 12 horses entered this year. His highest weighted runners are imports Alandi and Midas Touch on 55kg.
- Black And Bent - Australia's champion jumper is another yet to pass the first ballot clause. With only 50.5kg his connections' dreams of attaining a Cup start will prove a challenging one.
- Master O'Reilly - The nine-year-old, who is chasing a fifth straight Cup start, has 52kg. He's carried 54kg (15th, 2010), 55kg (4th, 2009 & 2008) and 53.5kg (8th, 2007) in his previous appearances.
Some 10 of the 23 runners to contest last year's Melbourne Cup are nominated for this year's race. In addition to Americain, Descarado and Maluckyday, Harris Tweed (fifth, 54kg to 54.5kg), Once Were Wild (11th, 51.5kg to 52.5kg) and Linton (21st, 52kg to 53.5kg) have had their weight increased from 12 months ago, whilst the other four are being asked to carry the same or less weight.
Race 7 - Emirates Melbourne Cup (3200 METRES)
Of $6,000,000.1st $3,600,000, 2nd $900,000, 3rd $450,000, 4th $250,000, 5th $175,000, 6th $125,000, 7th $125,000, 8th $125,000, 9th $125,000, 10th $125,000 GROUP 1
Handicap, Minimum Weight 49kg, Apprentices cannot claim.
Field Limit: 24
Horse Trainer Ballot Weight Penalty Hcp Rating
1 AMERICAIN (USA) Alain de Royer Dupre 58kg
2 DANGEROUS MIDGE (USA) Brian Meehan 57.5kg
3 JUKEBOX JURY (IRE) Mark Johnston 57kg
4 DESCARADO (NZ) Gai Waterhouse 56kg
5 ALANDI (IRE) Robert Hickmott 55kg
6 CAVALRYMAN (GB) Saeed Bin Suroor 55kg
7 LITTORIO Nigel Blackiston 55kg
8 MIDAS TOUCH (GB) Robert Hickmott 55kg
9 MY KINGDOM OF FIFE (GB) Chris Waller 55kg
10 HARRIS TWEED (NZ) Murray Baker 54.5kg
11 MIGHTY HIGH (FR) John Moore 54.5kg
12 DRUNKEN SAILOR (IRE) Luca Cumani 54kg
13 DUNADEN (FR) Mikel Delzangles 54kg
14 GLASS HARMONIUM (IRE) Michael Moroney 54kg
15 LION TAMER (NZ) Murray Baker 54kg
16 MALUCKYDAY (NZ) Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes 54kg
17 MANIGHAR (FR) Luca Cumani 54kg
18 UNUSUAL SUSPECT (USA) Michael Kent 54kg
19 ALCOPOP Jake Stephens 53.5kg
20 HERCULIAN PRINCE (NZ) Gai Waterhouse 53.5kg
21 LINTON Robert Hickmott 53.5kg
22 LUCAS CRANACH (GER) Anthony Freedman 53.5kg
23 MOURAYAN (IRE) Robert Hickmott 53.5kg
24 PRECEDENCE (NZ) Bart Cummings 53.5kg
25 RED CADEAUX (GB) Ed Dunlop 53.5kg
26 FOX HUNT (IRE) Mark Johnston 53kg
27 HAWK ISLAND (IRE) Chris Waller 53kg
28 ILLO (GER) Bart Cummings 53kg
29 ILLUSTRIOUS BLUE (GB) Chris Waller 53kg
30 LOST IN THE MOMENT (IRE) Saeed Bin Suroor 53kg
31 MEEZNAH (USA) David Lanigan 53kg
32 MODUN (IRE) Sir Michael Stoute 53kg
33 TRUSTING John P Thompson 53kg
34 VIGOR (NZ) Danny O'Brien 53kg
35 AT FIRST SIGHT (IRE) Robert Hickmott 52.5kg
36 BOB LE BEAU (IRE) Jessica Harrington 52.5kg
37 BOOMING (NZ) Jeff Lynds 52.5kg
38 GALILEO'S CHOICE (IRE) Dermot K Weld 52.5kg
39 ONCE WERE WILD Gai Waterhouse 52.5kg
40 PLAYING GOD Neville Parnham 52.5kg
41 STAND TO GAIN (IRE) Chris Waller 52.5kg
42 TACTIC (GB) David Hayes 52.5kg
43 BAUER (IRE) Luca Cumani 52kg
44 MASTER O'REILLY (NZ) Judy Mawer 52kg
45 MOYENNE CORNICHE (GB) Brian Ellison 52kg
46 RED COLOSSUS Greg Eurell 52kg
47 SAPTAPADI (IRE) Brian Ellison 52kg
48 SHAMROCKER (NZ) Danny O'Brien 52kg
49 TED SPREAD (GB) Mark Tompkins 52kg
50 TULLAMORE (NZ) Gai Waterhouse 52kg
51 ABSOLUTELY Michael Kent 51.5kg
52 BRAZILIAN PULSE (NZ) Michael Moroney 51.5kg
53 KING'S ROSE (NZ) Peter G Moody 51.5kg
54 LIGHTS OF HEAVEN (NZ) Peter G Moody 51.5kg
55 SENSE OF PURPOSE (IRE) Dermot K Weld 51.5kg
56 TITCH (NZ) Kevin Myers 51.5kg
57 ABOVE AVERAGE (IRE) Anthony Freedman 51kg
58 DREAMAWAY Dean Binaisse 51kg
59 FORETELLER (GB) Chris Waller 51kg
60 HISSING SID Bill & Symon Wilde 51kg
61 IRONSTEIN Gerald Ryan 51kg
62 NIWOT Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes 51kg
63 OLDER THAN TIME Gai Waterhouse 51kg
64 PADDY O'REILLY (NZ) Robert Smerdon 51kg
65 SAHARA SUN (CHI) Luca Cumani 51kg
66 SCARLETT LADY (NZ) Graeme & Debbie Rogerson 51kg
67 SHADOWS IN THE SUN Anthony Cummings 51kg
68 SYREON Chris Waller 51kg
69 TINSELTOWN (NZ) Michael Moroney 51kg
70 BLACK AND BENT Robert Smerdon 50.5kg
71 DECEMBER DRAW (IRE) Mark Kavanagh 50.5kg
72 LARISTAN (FR) David Hayes 50.5kg
73 MACEDONIAN (NZ) Peter G Moody 50.5kg
74 MY BENTLEY (NZ) Michael Kent 50.5kg
75 PRAECIDO (NZ) David Payne 50.5kg
76 RAFFAELLO Patrick F Ryan 50.5kg
77 REBEL SOLDIER (IRE) David Hayes 50.5kg
78 SHOWCAUSE Frank Ritchie 50.5kg
79 SPECHENKA Ben Ahrens 50.5kg
80 ABSOLUTELYAWESOME (NZ) Michael Moroney 50kg
81 AKINOSHIRABE (JPN) John P Thompson 50kg
82 AKZAR (IRE) Robert Hickmott 50kg
83 ALLANTHUS Brian Jenkins 50kg
84 ALTIUS Chris Waller 50kg
85 ANUDJAWUN (NZ) Shaun Dwyer 50kg
86 BACK IN BLACK (NZ) John Steffert 50kg
87 BASE (NZ) Robert Hickmott 50kg
88 BLACKIE (NZ) Michael Kent 50kg
89 BRUSHING (GB) Mark Tompkins 50kg
90 BUILDER O'REILLY (NZ) Leon Corstens 50kg
91 COSMONAUT Bart Cummings 50kg
92 CROCODILE CANYON (NZ) Kevin Myers 50kg
93 DIYARAKA (FR) Michael Moroney 50kg
94 DON CARLOS (GER) Michael Moroney 50kg
95 DON DOMINGO (NZ) Graham Richardson 50kg
96 DON'T PUT IT THERE (NZ) Jim & Greg Lee 50kg
97 DUBLIN DARLIN (NZ) Shaun Dwyer 50kg
98 EMAS (NZ) Ciaron Maher 50kg
99 ERUPTIOUS (NZ) Michael Kent 50kg
100 EXCEPTIONALLY (NZ) Terry & Karina O'Sullivan 50kg
101 EXCLUDED (NZ) Robert Hickmott 50kg
102 FINIGUERRA Darryl Dodson 50kg
103 GALIZANI John P Thompson 50kg
104 GO WITH THE FLO (NZ) Gai Waterhouse 50kg
105 GREEN MOON (IRE) Robert Hickmott 50kg
106 GUEST WING Shane A Edwards 50kg
107 HEAD NORTH Jason Warren 50kg
108 HEEZ BORN LUCKY (NZ) Leigh Childs 50kg
109 HIDDEN GEM David Vandyke 50kg
110 HOME ON A WING Anthony Cummings 50kg
111 HUME (NZ) Brian Smith 50kg
112 I'M JAKE (NZ) David Brideoake 50kg
113 ILE DE RE (FR) Ian Williams 50kg
114 INNOCENT LADY (NZ) Graeme Sanders 50kg
115 ISHANT Peter G Moody 50kg
116 KING GLADIATOR Chris Waller 50kg
117 KITTENS Mark Kavanagh 50kg
118 LALLA ROOKH Leon Macdonald & Andrew Gluyas 50kg
119 LAMASERY David Vandyke 50kg
120 LOPOV (NZ) Danny O'Brien 50kg
121 LUCKY EIGHTY EIGHT Mathew Ellerton & Simon Zahra 50kg
122 MANY STARS (NZ) Anthony Cummings 50kg
123 MARDEN (IRE) Chris Waller 50kg
124 MIDNIGHT MARTINI Mark Kavanagh 50kg
125 MODULE (NZ) Peter Gelagotis 50kg
126 MONTAHLIA (NZ) Michael Kent 50kg
127 MONTGOMERY (NZ) Colin & Cindy Alderson 50kg
128 MR O'CEIRIN (NZ) Ciaron Maher 50kg
129 MUSHATTA Mark Kavanagh 50kg
130 MY SCOTSGREY (NZ) Shaune Ritchie 50kg
131 OLYMPIC WIN (NZ) Robert Smerdon 50kg
132 PEGEMBAK Bart Cummings 50kg
133 PERGOLA (NZ) Colin & Cindy Alderson 50kg
134 PINKER PINKER Greg Eurell 50kg
135 PLANET PURPLE Kerry Parker 50kg
136 PLATINUM PASSION Michael Moroney 50kg
137 RED EYE SPECIAL (NZ) Anthony Cummings 50kg
138 REPRISAL David Hayes 50kg
139 REUBEN PERCIVAL (NZ) Gai Waterhouse 50kg
140 RIGHT OF REFUSAL Nigel Blackiston 50kg
141 SADDLE THE STARS Chris Ryan 50kg
142 SEAN BAILE MOR Todd Balfour 50kg
143 SEGURO (NZ) Brian Jenkins 50kg
144 SEPTEMBER MORN (IRE) Robert Hickmott 50kg
145 SHEWAN Robert Smerdon 50kg
146 SIERRA NEVADA (NZ) Richard Otto 50kg
147 SIMPRE ARRIBA (NZ) Ciaron Maher 50kg
148 SPLENDID HONOURS Paul Perry 50kg
149 STRATOCRACY Michael Moroney 50kg
150 SUNSET CAFE Leon Corstens 50kg
151 SWOOPER Darryl Dodson 50kg
152 TAMANU PARK Bart Cummings 50kg
153 TANBY Robert Hickmott 50kg
154 THE VERMINATOR Chris Waller 50kg
155 TRAIN CRUSHER (NZ) Shane A Edwards 50kg
156 TWO FOR TEA (NZ) Gai Waterhouse 50kg
157 VESPER Robert Hickmott 50kg
158 VIKING LEGEND Ross Simpson & Tracey Barnes 50kg
159 WESTERN SYMBOL (NZ) Gai Waterhouse 50kg
160 ZAGREB David Hayes 50kg
161 ZARA DANCER (NZ) Bruce Wallace 50kg
162 AMICI NERO Lindsey Smith 49kg