The Aidan O’Brien trained Highland Reel and Order Of St George have each been allocated the top weight of 58kg for the Group 1 $3m BMW Caulfield Cup (2400m) at Caulfield on October 15.
Highland Reel, above has been allocated the equal top weight of 58kg for the 2016 Caulfield Cup. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.
Highland Reel is the highest rated galloper in the 2016 171 Caulfield Cup nominations and earned his international rating of 121 with his win in the Group 1 £1.215m King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes (1 mile 4 furlongs) at Ascot on July 23.
Order Of St George is also a recent Group 1 winner over the Royal Ascot Carnival when he scored a three lengths victory over Mizzou in the Group 1 £400,000 Gold Cup (2 mile 4 furlong) at Royal Ascot on June 16.
“With an international rating of 121, Highland Reel is the highest-rated galloper in 2016 among the 117 Caulfield Cup nominations, and he shares the status of Caulfield Cup top weight with his stablemate Order Of St George, who was very impressive in the Irish St. Leger in 2015 and Ascot Gold Cup earlier this year over extended journeys,” Racing Victoria Executive Manager – Racing Greg Carpenter said.
O’Brien has a total of twelve horses nominated for the Caulfield Cup with Bondi Beach on 55kg, Sir Isaac Newton on 54.5kg and the promising Idaho on 53kg heading up the rest of the team.
The Mick Price trained Tarzino, winner of the 2015 Group 1 $1.5m AAMI Victoria Derby (2500m) at Flemington and 2016 Australian Derby winner Tavago have both been weighted on 54kg.
“Tarzino and Tavago have allocated 54kg on the back of really impressive wins in the Victoria Derby and ATC Derby respectively,” Carpenter said.
“Tarzino is aiming to emulate the likes of Elvstroem (2004), Manfred (1925) and Poseidon (1906) by winning the Caulfield Cup the season after taking out the Victoria Derby while Tavago looks to retrace the path of Mongolian Khan took in 2015 by winning the ATC Derby-Caulfield Cup double.”
2015 Melbourne Cup winner Prince Of Penzance with 56.5kg spearheads the seventeen Caulfield Cup nominations from the powerful Darren Weir stable.
Other prominent Weir trained stayers are Signoff and Tosen Stardom with 53.5kg and Real Love and Howard Be Thy Name with 51.5kg.
The John O’Shea trained Godolphin team of eight is headed by Hartnell who was given 55kg while Scottish from the English stables of Charlie Appleby has been allocated 54.5kg.
Chris Waller’s team of fourteen has Preferment as their highest weighted with 56.5kg.
Co-trainers Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott only have two stayers nominated for the Caulfield Cup with Excess Knowledge getting 52.5kg and Dee I Cee on the 50kg minimum.
The Lloyd Williams owned Robert Hickmott trained The United States with 55.5kg is the highest weighted of the eleven Caulfield Cup nominations from Macedon Lodge.
The Lee and Anthony Freedman trained German import Our Ivanhowe is also high up in the weights with 56kg while last year’s Caulfield Cup runner up Trip To Paris has been handicapped with 55kg, the same weight he carried in 2015.
The first acceptances for the Caulfield Cup are due at 12 noon on Tuesday, September 6, 2016 and the final field will be declared at 10am on Tuesday October 11, 2016.
Early market order for the Caulfield Cup at Ladbrokes.com.au: $15 Tarzino, The United States, $17 Highland Reel, Our Ivanhowe, Tavago, $21 Hartnell, Jameka, Provocative, Rising Romance, Scottish, Trip To Paris, $26 Bondi Beach, Hauraki, Idaho, Preferment, Signoff, Sofia Rosa, Tom Melbourne.
