No data found

Japanese star heads Melbourne Cup weights

Melbourne Cup weights are out and a Japanese stayer heads the entries. Racing Victoria (RV) Executive General Manager (Racing) Greg Carpenter, released the weightswhich have Admire Rakti the topweight with 58kg. Only one Japanese horse, Tokai Trick in 2010, has contested the $6.2 million Melbourne Cup since Delta Blues and Pop Rock scored a memorable one-two for Japan in the 2006 edition.

Click here to view the full weights for the 2014 Emirates Melbourne Cup.

Admire Rakti, who finished a close-up fourth in the 2013 Japan Cup, arrives in Melbourne on Saturday with fellow Japanese entrant Bande who has been allocated 56.5kg.

If victorious at Flemington on the first Tuesday in November, the Tomoyuki Umeda-trained Admire Rakti will become the first original topweight since Comic Court in 1950 to win the Cup.

Carpenter has labelled the weights the most challenging of his 10-year stint as RV’s Chief Handicapper with the retirement of several high profile stars.

“Under the Australian Rules of Racing I am obligated to release a topweight of 58kg, however with recent staying champions Fiorente, Dunaden and Americain now retired there was no natural topweight so I’ve had to effectively lift weights 2kg for the majority of runners,” Carpenter explained.

“This is the reason why we are releasing a vastly different set of weights for the Emirates Melbourne Cup to that we published for the Crown Golden Ale Caulfield Cup earlier this month when there was a natural topweight in the European Group 1 winner Mukhadram.

“Whilst this year’s Emirates Melbourne Cup entry carries the 2012 winner Green Moon, dual runner-up Red Cadeaux and last year’s Caulfield Cup winner Fawkner, none warranted being allocated topweight based on their past handicaps and their overall form across the past two seasons.”

The Lloyd Williams-owned Green Moon, who is striving to become just the sixth dual Cup winner, has been allocated 57kg having carried 57.5kg when 21st last year.

“Green Moon won the Cup with 54.5kg two years ago and if successful will join Peter Pan (1932-34) as the only dual winner in non-consecutive years,” Carpenter explained.

Red Cadeaux, who is set to line up in his fourth consecutive Cup, has been allocated 57kg – a rise of 0.5kg on his second placing in 2013 and 3.5kg on his placing in the 2011 Cup.

“The progression in the weights for Red Cadeaux is not as profound as that given to some other runners-up in recent times, however he was high in the weights last year and has history against him with no nine-year-old ever successful in the Cup,” Carpenter explained.

Joining the Cup veterans on 57kg are Fawkner, who finished sixth in last year’s race after his Caulfield Cup triumph, and the Godolphin-owned Cavalryman who finished 12th in the 2012 Cup.

Sydney Cup winner and resounding TAB favourite The Offer has been allocated 56.5kg as Gai Waterhouse chases a second successive Melbourne Cup after Fiorente’s breakthrough triumph.

“The Offer has been beaten just once over distances of 2200-metres or further in the past two years and was emphatic winning the Sydney Cup. He’s paid a penalty with the weights being lifted and has been allocated 56.5kg – the same weight carried to victory by Jeune in 1994,” Carpenter said.

Other notable contenders and their weights are;

Dandino (56.5kg) – The Marco Botti-trained international globetrotter who finished fifth in the 2013 Cup having run second in the Caulfield Cup to Fawkner at his Australian debut.
Protectionist (56.5kg) – In-form German-trained Cup runner who won the Group 2 Prix de Kergorlay (3000m) in France last start – as Americain did in his 2010 Cup-winning year.
Silent Achiever (56.5kg) – New Zealand’s four-time Group 1 winner is the highest weighted mare in the Cup. Makybe Diva (2005, 58kg) is the only mare to win with more weight.
Puissance de Lune (56kg) – The one-time favourite for the 2013 Cup who needs a peak performance at 2300m or further to pass the ballot clause and thus qualify for a start.
Seismos (56kg) – Australian-owned, UK-trained former German galloper who was a last start winner of the Group 3 Geoffrey Freer Stakes (2700m) at Newbury.
Mutual Regard (55kg) – Winner of this year’s coveted Ebor Handicap in the UK and trained by former legendary Irish jockey Johnny Murtagh who rode in the 2008 Melbourne Cup.
Pale Mimosa (55kg) – The sole entry from dual Melbourne Cup-winning trainer Dermot Weld. Disappointed when fifth in Sunday’s Irish St Leger, but a trip has not been ruled out.
Willing Foe (55kg) – Godolphin entrant who won the 2012 Ebor Handicap before injury halted his career. An encouraging fourth in the Irish St Leger as he continues his comeback.
Puccini (54.5kg) – Last season’s New Zealand Derby winner who has returned in peak form winning the Group 3 Metric Mile at Awapuni last weekend.
Kirramosa (53kg) – VRC Crown Oaks winner who is unbeaten at 2000 metres and further. Five four-year-old mares have won the Cup with Ethereal the most recent in 2001.
Lucia Valentina (53kg) – ATC Oaks placegetter who rocketed up Cup betting charts with a first-up win in the Group 2 Tramway Stakes in Sydney this month.
La Amistad (51.5kg) – The three-quarter sister to triple Melbourne Cup winner Makybe Diva who was among the early favourites before an unplaced run last weekend in Sydney.