Horse Racing

Defending Melbourne Cup winner Americain has, as expected, been installed as the 2011 Caulfield Cup top-weight with 58 kilograms when handicaps for the $2.5 million Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival feature were released by Racing Victoria today.

Americain has been allocated the 58kg topweight of the 2011 Caulfield Cup hopefuls

Racing Victoria’s chief handicapper Greg Carpenter earlier this week confirmed the Alain De Royer Dupre-trained Americain would sit at the top of the weights for the $2.5 million Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2400m), to run on October 15, and that he would hand the six-year-old under 60 kilograms.

With 58 kilos, Americain will be forced to carry 3.5 kilograms more than the weight they had on their back to take out last year’s $6 million Group 1 Melbourne Cup (3200m).

“Americain won the Melbourne Cup with 54.5kg and rises to topweight of 58kg in the Caulfield cup in recognition of being the second highest rated stayer in the world in 2011,” Carpenter said.

The last Melbourne Cup winner to return the following spring and salute in the Caulfield Cup was the Bart Cummings-trained Viewed in 2008 – 09.

Viewed carted 57kg to victory in the Caulfield Cup two years ago, a four kilo increase from the 53kg they had on their back when handing the ‘Cups King’ Cummings his 12^th victory in the world’s richest handicap, something Carpenter also referred to when explaining his decision.

“Viewed was the most recent Melbourne Cup winner to return the following year and win the Caulfield Cup,” he said.

“He did so in 2009 with 57kg having been penalised 54kg for his Melbourne Cup victory.”

Connections of the Australian-owned Americain are still likely to view the weight favourably as the stayer recently saluted in a Listed race in France with 59.5kg.

Fred Kersley’s champion Perth raider Northerly was the most recent Caulfield Cup winner to carry 58kg back in 2002.

Americain is scheduled to arrive in Australia on September 24 when they will enter quarantine here ahead of their Caulfield – Melbourne Cups campaign.

The second highest weighted horse of the 237 Caulfield Cup 2011 nominations that Carpenter allocated handicaps for today was overseas entry Dangerous Midge, winner of the 2010 Breeder’s Cup, with 57.5kg.

Robert Hickmott’s 2007 Melbourne Cup winner Efficient is the next in the weights with 57kg.

Veteran Zabeel grey Efficient, now eight, was last seen winning the 2009 Turnbull Stakes at Flemington but is being tipped to make a return to racing this spring carnival.

Reigning Caulfield Cup winner, the Gai Waterhouse-trained Descarado has been allocated 56kg this year, equal with Japan’s Meiner Kitz who is an unlikely visitor to Victoria this season.

Last year High Chaparral gelding Descarado was one of the light-weights of the Caulfield Cup field, ace hoop Chris Munce riding them to victory on a bog Caulfield track at just 52.5kg.

“I have effectively penalised Descarado 2kg for his victory in last year’s race,” Carpenter explained.

“The other 1.5kg increase is for his progression on the weight-for-age scale from a four to five-year-old.”

Descarado sits as a $35 chance in the Caulfield Cup odds at Luxbet to join Rising Fast (1954-55) and Posiedon (1906-07) as the only gallopers to win back-to-back Caulfield Cups.

The horse that finished second behind Descarado in last year’s winning Caulfield Cup Quinella was the Murray Baker-trained New Zealand stayer Harris Tweed, allocated 54.5kg for their second shot at the Cup, equal weight with William Haggas’ European raider of the same name.

Caulfield Cup betting markets at Luxbet are currently lead by Peter Moody’s progressive mare Lights Of Heaven paying $7.

Today Lights Of Heaven received just 51.5kg for the Caulfield Cup, which will only confirm her favouritism in the feature.

She may, however, incur a penalty if she wins races on way to the Cup starting with her second-up start in the $300,000 Group 2 Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) at Flemington this Saturday.

Other early favourites in the Caulfield Cup Odds and their Weights are:

• Scarlett Lady ($11) – 51kg: Graeme Rogerson’s star Kiwi mare won the Group 1 Queensland Oaks in Queensland during the winter. Resumed with a credible seventh to Mufhasa in the Group 1 Challenge Stakes (1400m) at Hastings last Saturday. Is out to emulate the feats of another great New Zealand mare, Ethereal, who won the Caulfield Cup – Melbourne Cup double for trainer Sheila Laxon back in 2001.

• Shamrocker ($13) – 52kg: Danny O’Brien-trained O’Reilly mare won the Australian Guineas – Derby double as a three-year-old last season. Also well liked in the Melbourne Cup futures odds after running eighth, with good sectionals, in the Group 2 Memsie Stakes (1400m) for her resuming run at Caulfield last Saturday. Must equal the weight carrying record for a four-year-old mare in the Caulfield Cup set by Leilani (1974) and matched by How Now (1965).

• December Draw ($15) – 50kg: Mark Kavanagh-trained five-year-old import. Won back-to-back races at Flemington after joining Kavanagh’s Flemington stables in May. Tipped to show more as they step up in distance over the coming months but yet to qualify for the Caulfield Cup.

• Maluckyday ($15) – 54kg: Runner-up to Americain in the 2010 Melbourne Cup carrying just 51kg. Was disappointing in the autumn with their best finish being a fourth to Danleigh (carrying 59kg) in the Group 1 Chipping Norton Stakes. Expected to resume at Caulfield on Saturday.

• Lion Tamer ($17) – 54kg: Winner of the Victoria Derby last spring, Murray Baker’s Storming Home gelding is the highest-weighted of the four-year-old Caulfield Cup hopefuls this year. Ran an eye-catching first-up fourth in the Challenge Stakes at home in New Zealand last Saturday.

• My Kingdom Of Fife ($17) – 55kg: Chris Waller’s star import that has won three of their four Australian starts including the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes. Formerly owned by the Queen, will make their spring debut this Saturday in the Chelmsford Stakes at Randwick.

Below is the full list of 2011 BMW Caulfield Cup nominations and weights.

The first declaration stage for the Caulfield Cup is Tuesday September 6.

Stay tuned to Races.com.au for all the latest Caulfield Cup updates and for access to the hottest spring carnival odds, sign up with Australia’s leading bookmaker Luxbet today and enter the codeword BONUSBET to earn a bonus bet up to $400.

2011 BMW Caulfield Cup Weights & Nominations