Order Of St George and Protectionist given joint top weight for 2016 Melbourne Cup

RACING Victoria’s chief handicapper Greg Carpenter believes it could be now or never for talented stayer Signoff to give Darren Weir back-to-back victories in the Melbourne Cup.

Protectionist won the 2014 Melbourne Cup.

RACING Victoria’s chief handicapper Greg Carpenter believes it could be now or never for talented stayer Signoff to give Darren Weir back-to-back victories in the Melbourne Cup.

Carpenter released weights for the 3200m race at Flemington on Tuesday and has allocated the seven-year-old gelding, which ran fourth in 2014, 53.5kg — 4.5kg below top weight.

Signoff is the early Cup favourite with several corporate bookmakers, replacing the Aiden O’Brien trained Order of George which had his six-race winning streak ended on the weekend by Wicklow Brave in the Irish St Ledger.

The TAB has installed Wicklow Brave as its new Cup favourite.

Carpenter allocated last year’s Cup winner and Signoff stablemate Prince of Penzance with 56.5kg — 3.5kg more than the gelding carried to victory last November.

The 3.5kg penalty is the same given to American (2011) and Dunaden (2012) following their Cup wins.

Jockey Ryan Moore celebrates after guiding Order of St George to victory in the Gold Cup at Ascot Racecourse on June 16. Picture: Getty Images

As expected, Order of St George and the 2014 winner Protectionist, which has recaptured his form since returning to Germany, share the top weight with 58kg but they must overcome a 66-year-old hoodoo with not one original top weight winning since Comic Court (59.5kg) in 1950.

In the past 40 years, 35 horses have carried 58kg or more in the Melbourne Cup but only Makybe Diva with 58kg in 2005 has won.

Carpenter said he wasn’t surprised with Signoff’s past two performances where he has beaten home three runners over 1400m at Morphettville and then finished in front of one runner at his most recent race in the Dato’Tan Chin Nam Stakes (1600m) at Moonee Valley.

“Until he gets over 2000m and beyond you are not going to see the best of him,” Carpenter said.

“What I will be looking for whether it’s Signoff, Tarzino or Tavigo, is that once they get to 2000m, is pretty significant improvement.

“I personally think Signoff is an outstanding talent, but the window of his career is coming to an end and this is his year. Really his year was 2014 and they had a wonderful plan to get into the race and they executed it really well and he came up in fourth race.

|”So this year, if he is going to be a Melbourne Cup winner or placegetter is his real window of opportunity because he is getting on in his career.”

Michelle Payne and Prince of Penzance after last year’s Cup win. Picture: George Salpigtidis

While Irish trainer Willie Mullins has already booked a ticket to Melbourne for Wicklow Brave, Racing Victoria’s Leigh Jordon will learn tonight how many horses O’Brien will put into quarantine.

Lloyd Williams, who has the majority ownership in Order of St George and Bondi Beach, said the weights were fair on international ratings.

“Greg Carpenter does an excellent job in preparation,” Williams said.

“He is very well informed on international racing and the all-round preparation is outstanding,”

Williams said he would make a decision on his international runners in the next few weeks and It’s going to be very difficult for Order Of St George.

“The difficulty in the Melbourne Cup when you carry more than 57 kilos is hard as only one horse has won with more than that weight in the last 30 years,” he said.

Weights will be raised by 0.5kg if the two topweights don’t come.

The first Cup declaration is at noon on Tuesday, October 4.

Tarzino has been handed 54kg. Picture: Colleen Petch

Other notable entries and their weights are;

— Scottish (54.5kg): The headline stayer from yard of premier UK trainer Charlie Appleby, Scottish is one of 10 Godolphin-owned stayers trained internationally that hold a Cup nomination;

— Tarzino (54kg): Last year’s VRC Derby-winning three-year-old, Tarzino is the equal highest-weighted southern hemisphere four-year-old with the Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young-trained Tavago.

— Almoonqith (53.5kg — carried 53kg in 2015): Winner of last year’s Sandown Cup and Geelong Cup, Almoonqith will look to provide owners Shadwell Stud a third Melbourne Cup win following the deeds of At Talaq (1986) and Jeune (1994).

- Tosen Stardom (53.5kg): Former Japanese-trained galloper, Tosen Stardom is one of 51 horses yet to pass the first ballot for the Emirates Melbourne Cup;

— Signoff (53.5kg): An eye-catching fourth in the 2014 Cup behind Protectionist, Signoff’s handicap of 53.5kg is 2kg more than he carried 24 months ago;

— Heartbreak City (53kg): Prepared by Irish horseman Tony Martin, Heartbreak City is attempting to become the first horse to complete the Ebor Handicap-Melbourne Cup double;

— Jameka (51.5kg): Last year’s Crown Oaks winner, Jameka’s handicap is 5kg under weight-for-age benchmark and the most weight allocated to a southern hemisphere four-year-old mare;

— Real Love (51.5kg): Former Perth Cup-winning mare now prepared by Darren Weir, Real Love is one of 11 Melbourne Cup nominations from last year’s champion trainer;

— Set Square (51.5kg): Prepared by Ciaron Maher, Set Square has gone without a win since her 2014 Crown Oaks triumph at Flemington Racecourse;

— Housesofparliament (50kg): A last-start third in the English St Leger, northern hemisphere three-year-old Housesofparliament’s handicap of 50kg is 6kg below benchmark weight and 0.5kg less than Mahler carried when third in the 2007 Cup.

2015 Oaks winner Jameka. Picture: Colleen Petch

Originally published as Order Of St George and Protectionist given joint top weight for 2016 Melbourne Cup