Lexus Melbourne Cup weights: Vauban handed 55kg
Stable-mate Absurde (53kg) will also join him on the plane to Australia and is guaranteed a run having won the Sky Bet Ebor at York. However jockey plans for him are more uncertain with Frankie Dettori unable to do the weight.
“Hopefully Ryan might be available for Vauban and we’ll have to search for a jockey for Absurde but we have a few people in the pipeline," the trainer told Tuesday's Nick Luck Daily Podcast.
“We have to see what Aidan (O'Brien) is doing so we'll just wait but at that weight there’s a lot of jockeys available. We’d love to have him but it depends on what Ballydoyle are doing.
"I don’t think Frankie wants to be wasting to do that sort of thing on Absurde and he’ll have a lot other good rides down there and there are lots more lighter riders in the southern hemisphere than there are up here so we’ll manage.
“Kerrin MvEvoy would have no problem doing the weight if he wants the ride. Zak Purton is riding in Hong Kong and they’re the sort of guys who are in the picture along with Declan Bates who has ridden for us before down there. They can all do those sort of weights.
“The horses are very good. They’ve passed their second veterinary tests in Newmarket this morning so everything looks good. Absurde got great confidence from winning at York, not that he needed any from the way he was treating Frankie on the way to the start!”
Aidan O’Brien’s Broome, winner of the Dubai Gold Cup back in March, has 56.5kg in the Melbourne Cup. The master of Ballydoyle also has St Leger fourth Tower Of London on 50.5kg, with son Joseph – already a dual winner of the race with Rekindling (2017) and Twilight Payment (2020) – having Valiant King (50kg) and Okita Soushi (51.5kg) in the field.
The William Haggas-trained Desert King, who finished a gallant third for the King and Queen in Saturday’s St Leger, has been given 51.5kg.
Fellow Newmarket-trained runner West Wind Blows is on 54kg for Simon and Ed Crisford, with the four-year-old already in Australia ahead of a possible run in the Turnbull Stakes on October 7.
Dermot Weld, who broke new ground when sending Vintage Crop to become the first northern hemisphere-trained winner of the race in 1993 before adding another victory nine years later with Media Puzzle, has Harbour Wind in contention this year but his weight of 50kg leaves him well down the field, which has a limit of 24 runners.
Other familiar names in the field include ex-Haggas runners Alenquer (56.5kg) and Soulcombe (53.5kg), last year’s second Emissary (52kg) plus Francesco Guardi (54kg) and El Bodegon (55.5kg), who were both previously trained by James Ferguson, and last year’s Irish Oaks victor Magical Lagoon (51kg).
Racing Victoria’s head of handicapping David Hegan said: “Gold Trip is the standout performer among the entries for both Cups (Melbourne and Caulfield) and the natural topweight with Broome the only Group One winner among an international contingent that boasts an assortment of rapidly emerging stayers.
“We have effectively lifted Gold Trip 2kg from his true weight last year, which is less than the penalty afforded other Melbourne Cup winners in recent times, however we are mindful that it is 48 years since a horse has carried 58.5kg to victory in either Cup so a significant challenge awaits.”
- Racecards
- Fast results
- Full results and free video replays
- Horse racing news
- Horse racing tips
- Horse racing features
- Download our free iOS and Android app
- Football and other sports tips
- Podcasts and video content
Safer gambling
We are committed in our support of safer gambling. Recommended bets are advised to over-18s and we strongly encourage readers to wager only what they can afford to lose.
If you are concerned about your gambling, please call the National Gambling Helpline / GamCareon 0808 8020 133.
Further support and information can be found at begambleaware.org and gamblingtherapy.org
