Tommy Berry is thrilled as Tavago, trained by Kiwis Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young, wins the ATC Derby at Randwick.
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Highland Reel and Order Of St George top the weights for one of the Melbourne Spring Carnival highlights, the BMW Caulfield Cup, but the latter is highly unlikely to make the journey.
Order Of St George has two Group 1 wins included in his record of seven wins from twelve starts and has been weighted up to his best following victories in the 2015 Group 1 €350,000 Palmerston House Estate Irish St. Leger (2816m) at the Curragh and in the Group 1 £400,000 Gold Cup (2 mile 4 furlong) at Royal Ascot in June this year.
Greg Carpenter, Racing Victoria’s Executive General Manager of Racing, noted that Caulfield Cup topweights have run well in the past few years.
Victoria Derby victor Tarzino now holds favouritism for the 2400m race at $13 ahead of VRC Oaks victor Jameka at $18.
The Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young-trained Tavago, victor of the ATC Derby in Sydney last autumn, has also been given 54 kilograms. Fellow Kiwi mares Fanatic and Mime, have 50kg.
The first acceptances for the Caulfield Cup are due at 12 noon on Tuesday, September 6, 2016 and the final field will be declared at 10am on Tuesday October 11, 2016.
Order Of St George is now the 16/1 favourite with Sky Bet.
“In recent years we have seen the better-performed horses come to the fore in the BMW Caulfield Cup, with two of the past four renewals won by a horse carrying the top weight of 58kg in the global entrants Dunaden and Admire Rakti”, Carpenter said.
Both five-year-old entires prepared by Aidan O’Brien in Ireland, Highland Reel was most recently seen running second to Postponed in the Group One Juddmonte International (2000m), whilst Order Of St George is undefeated in his past six starts and is the ruling Melbourne Cup favourite. They carried 58kg and 57kg respectively when winning their Caulfield Cups.
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Betting on the Caulfield Cup could be in for a reshuffle following the declaration of weights.
