Melbourne Cup favourite Admire Rakti’s half a kilo penalty for winning the Group 1 $3m Crown Golden Ale Caulfield Cup (2400m) at Caulfield on October 18 is well under what his Japanese connections expected.
Japanese stayer Admire Rakti is weighted to win the Melbourne Cup. Photo by Race Horse Photos Australia.
Admire Rakti will carry the number one saddlecloth with 58.5kgs for the Group 1 $6m Emirates Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington next Tuesday and on the way he won the Caulfield Cup with 58kgs, could become the first horse since New Zealand mare Ethereal won the Caulfield – Melbourne Cup double in 2001.
Travelling foreman Go Shogemi for Japanese trainer Tomoyuki Umeda said that the connections of the tough stayer were happy with the extra impost but expected more from Racing Victoria Chief Handicapper Greg Carpenter.
“We expected more and think the weight is fair,” Shogemi told Racing Network.
The penalty handed out by Carpenter was the lowest since 1980 when then Bart Cummings trained Ming Dynasty escaped a penalty after winning his second Caulfield Cup. The mighty grey had previously won the Caulfield Cup three years earlier in 1977.
Shogemi has reported that Admire Rakti is back on track for the Melbourne Cup after having an easy week’s work following his historic win at Caulfield and will have a solid hit out on Friday morning at the Werribee International Quarantine Centre.
“We are very happy with the horse, very happy with the weight,” Shogemi said.
Last season’s Hong Kong Jockey Club premiership winning jockey Zac Purton rode Admire Rakti a patient race in winning the Caulfield Cup and will be coming back to Melbourne on Tuesday in search of another major Spring Carnival trophy.
Admire Rakti has remained a solid $4.80 favourite for the Melbourne Cup with Ladbrokes.com.au since winning the Caulfield Cup and looks set to hold that position up until start time on Tuesday.
Lucia Valentina is on the second line of betting at $7 and meets Admire Rakti half a kilo better for being beaten almost a length when third in the Caulfield Cup.
Close up at $7.50 is the German visitor Protectionist who caught the eye at his only Australian start when fourth to Big Memory in the Group 2 $200,000 Sportingbet Herbert Power Stakes (2400m) at Caulfield on October 11.
Cox Plate runner up Fawkner is next in the market order at $8 followed by Mutual Regard at $10, Red Cadeaux and Signoff at $17, Araldo at $19 and Who Shot Thebarman and Willing Foe at $21.
