Melbourne Cup weights

[NoChanceToDance]

by PA Sport staff



YEATS has been given top weight for the Emirates Melbourne Cup at Flemington on November 6.

The dual Ascot Gold Cup winner has been allotted 59kg (approximately 9st 4lb), the same as he carried when running seventh in 'the race that stops a nation' 12 months ago.

His trainer Aidan O'Brien has nominated five horses for the race, with Coronation Cup victor Scorpion set to carry 58kg (9st 2lb), Septimus 57kg (9st), and Hitchcock and Mahler both 50kg (7st 12lb).

Luca Cumani's Purple Moon, who pulled off a huge gamble when winning the Ebor at York last month, has been given 53kg (8st 5lb).

Racing Victoria's chief handicapper Greg Carpenter said Yeats had held the same form as last year and warranted being treated at the same level.

"He was beaten with 59kg in last year's Emirates Melbourne Cup and there's no evidence Yeats is going any better than in 2006, therefore I've assessed him as the same horse and on the same weight," he said.

Racing in Melbourne resumed on Saturday but Sydney remains cancelled with the recent equine flu outbreak spreading to 700 horses stabled at Randwick racecourse late last week.

Hong Kong's Viva Pataca was also allotted 59kg but will not be travelling to Australia with trainer John Moore playing it safe in lieu of the flu outbreak.

Last year's winner, Delta Blues from Japan, was handed 58kg but will not be making the journey for the same reason.

Godolphin's Laverock has been given 56kg (8st 11lb).

There are 257 nominations for November's race but that number will reduce dramatically after first declarations are taken on Tuesday September 11.



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How small will this year's field be?

It's looking like the Melbourne Cup could be quite 'weak' this year compared with the past.

It wouldn't be certain to see all of the european challengers either, if the situation was to get worse, which is a possibility at this stage.

[_ed_]

Certainly no NZ horses going over for it this year because of the ban on horse travel across the Tasman (not that NZ horses have had much of an impact on the race since Ethereal in 2001 anyway!)

I'd be very surprised if we see a full field this year, and even if we do it will surely be the weakest I've seen probably since Rogan Josh won in 1999. My early guess is that Maybe Better, 3rd to the two Japanese horses last time, will have it all to himself this time.

Hope I'm wrong though.

[my miss storm cat]

I have a really stupid question.....

Do they do this every year???

http://www.livinglegends.org.au/gall...ex_cupday.html

[_ed_]

Yeah they do.

[my miss storm cat]

Originally Posted by _ed_

Yeah they do.

Oh my God you mean to tell me you can just walk up to Might and Power???

Dying!

I WANT TO GO!!!

[_ed_]

Originally Posted by my miss storm cat

I WANT TO GO!!!

Yeah it's something I really want to go to as well, NZ-Aus flights are getting cheaper so I'd love to go over to Australia for Melbourne Cup week some time.

Can't this year though, got an exam on Melbourne Cup morning.

[brockguy]

anyone know where I can get the full list of weights. I think Zipping is my fav at the mo!

[_ed_]

Originally Posted by brockguy

anyone know where I can get the full list of weights. I think Zipping is my fav at the mo!

Here you go: http://www.vrc.net.au/cpa/htm/htm_fl...sp?race_id=116

[brockguy]

thanks!