Robert Hickmott’s veteran galloper Foundry has copped a weight penalty for both the Caulfield Cup and Melbourne Cup this spring after his upset win on a lightweight in the Group 1 The Metropolitan (2400m).
The Metropolitan winner Foundy copped a 1kg penalty for both the 2017 Caulfield Cup and Melbourne Cup this spring. Photo: Steve Hart.
The lightly-raced eight-year-old son of Galileo is raced by last year’s Melbourne Cup winning owner Lloyd Williams, who enjoyed a fifth win in the ‘race that stops a nation’ with Almandin (2016).
The Group 1 $6 million Emirates Melbourne Cup (3200m) over the two miles at Flemington on Tuesday November 7 could now call for stablemate Foundry after the import took out Sydney’s The Metropolitan at Royal Randwick over the weekend.
Foundry had just 50.5kg on his back in the mile and a half feature when defeating Darren Weir’s Sydney Cup placegetter Big Duke (2nd) and Kiwi-trained Brisbane Cup winner Chocante (3rd) in the feature.
The win saw the horse break a lengthy winning drought of 1323 days and receive a subsequent one kilogram penalty for both the 2017 Melbourne Cup and Group 1 $3 million BMW Caulfield Cup (2400m) on October 28.
Foundry was previously on the 50kg minimum in the Caulfield Cup and 51kg minimum in the Melbourne Cup, and his penalty sees him rise to 44th and 60th on the orders of entry respectively for the two cup classics.
“Foundry defeated Big Duke [55kg] by half a length with 4.5kg less weight,” Racing Victoria Executive General Manager Racing Greg Carpenter said on Sunday.
“The one kilogram penalty now takes him to within 2.5kg of Big Duke in the handicap for both the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups.”
The last horses to back directly up off a The Metropolitan win and take out the Caulfield Cup were Railings (52kg in 2005) and Tawqeet (53.5kg in 2006).
Williams and Hickmott enjoyed Caulfield Cup success back in 2013 with then six-year-old Fawkner (55kg), while the last Caulfield Cup winner to carry under 52.5kg to victory was Master O’Reilly (50.5kg) who jumped the favourite and saluted for the punters in 2007.
Updated Caulfield Cup 2017 odds at Ladbrokes.com.au have Foundry listed as a $34 outsider, while pre-field Melbourne Cup betting lists The Metropolitan winner at the same price.
Current Caulfield Cup betting favourite Bonneval ($5.50) meanwhile has avoided a weight penalty and remains on 52.5kg due to the weight-for-age conditions of the Group 1 Underwood Stakes (1800m), which the New Zealander won in style on Sunday.
The Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman-trained dual Oaks winning daughter of Makfi has now won her past six on the trot, while her stablemate Jon Snow is also guaranteed a start in the Caulfield Cup field sitting eighth on the ballot order.
Winner of the ATC Derby in Sydney during the autumn, the now four-year-old Iffraaj stallion Jon Snow is allocated 54.5kg in the Caulfield Cup weights and also escaped penalty for his Moonee Valley win on Moir Stakes Night in the Group 3 JRA Cup (2040m).
“While it was pleasing to see Jon Snow sit on the pace and hold off Ecuador in the straight at The Valley, the win has not attracted a penalty due to him having earned a big weight for a four-year-old off the back of his win in the ATC Derby in April,” Carpenter explained.
Jon Snow is at $21 to defeat his better fancied stablemate in the Caulfield Cup results later this month.
To check out all the latest Spring Cups odds and betting markets head to Ladbrokes.com.au today.
