Racing:French runners Dunaden and Americain share top weight for the Emirates Melbourne Cup at Flemington Park on November 6th. The pair, trained by Mikael Delzangles and Alain de Royer-Dupre respectively, have won the last two renewals of the Grade One handicap over two miles.
If either can score off a weight of 58kg (9st 2lb) they would join an elite club of just five runners who have secured two wins or more in the Cup.
Ireland’s dual Melbourne Cup-winning trainer Dermot Weld has three entries with Ballyroan Stakes winner Galileo’s Choice, who entered quarantine last week, on 53.5kg. His other possibles are Rite Of Passage 55kg and Sapphire on 52kg (8st 3lb).
John Oxx and Aidan O’Brien are also represented among the 151 entries with OXX putting forward Hartani and O’Brien adding I Have A Dream. Both have been allocated weights of less than 52kg. .
Local runner Efficient, who won the 2007 Cup, is the other previous winner being aimed at this year’s race and the Robert Hickmott-trained veteran has been allocated 55kg (8st 9lb). Ed Dunlop’s Red Cadeaux was beaten just a nose last year, the narrowest margin in the history of the race, and he has been raised 2kg this time and will run off 55.5kg (8st 10lb).
Mount Athos heads most markets for the race and he has been allocated 54kg (8st 7lb) as he bids to give trainer Luca Cumani a first win in the race. Cumani also has Quest For Peace on 53.5kg (8st 6lb) while Michael Stoute’s Fiorente is on the same weight.
Godolphin have had to settle for minor honours on four previous occasions and Ascot Gold Cup winner Colour Vision heads their team on 55kg (8st 9lb). Cavalryman on 54kg, Lost In The Moment on 53kg (8st 5lb) — the same weight he carried to sixth in last year’s Cup — and Ebor winner Willing Foe on 52.5kg (8st 4lb) complete their list of possibles.
Jakkalberry, who won the American St Leger for trainer Marco Botti last time, has 55.5kg.