Legendary ex-pat South African trainer David Payne had a runner in last year’s Melbourne Cup and is attempting to get two horses into the field for this year’s renewal of Australia’s greatest race (Picture: racingandsports.com.au)
The Melbourne Cup weights have been announced and among the entries still standing their ground are two horses trained by ex-pat South African David Payne and one from the yard of Robbie Griffiths and ex-pat South African Matthew de Kock.
However, there are 133 entries in all, and the final field is limited to 24 runners.
David Payne’s leading entry is Navajo Peak, who won a Group 2 over a mile at Randwick on September 2 under Chad Schofield. He failed next time out when stepped up to 2000m but this five-year-old Territories gelding has won over 2000m and is entered in both a Group 1 mile event and a Group 1 2400m event at Randwick on September 30. Payne also has him entered in the traditional qualifier for the Melbourne Cup, the Gr 1 Caulfield Cup over 2400m, which is run at Caulfield racecourse in Melbourne in mid-October, 16 days before the Melbourne Cup.
Navajo Peak has been set to carry 52kg in the Melbourne Cup, which is 6,5kg below the topweight and 2kg more than bottom weight.
He is also set to carry 52kg in the Caulfield Cup.
Payne also has Raging Bull entered and this one is one of the many 50kg bottom weights.
This five-year-old Bull Point gelding finished fourth in the Group 1 Victoria Derby as a three-year-old but his best recent race was a 6,90 length fourth in a Listed race over 2400m, so he looks to have a lot to do to qualify for the Melbourne Cup.
He is also entered in the Group 1 over 2400m on September 30 but he is not among the Caulfield Cup entries.
The Robbie Griffiths and Matthew de Kock entry is Aberfeldie Boy, a four-year-old So You Think gelding who finished third in the Group 1 South Australia Derby as a three-year-old.
He finished a close third in his seasonal reappearance over 1700m at Flemington, but is only a one-time winner and looks to have a bit to do to qualify for the Melbourne Cup.
He is set to carry 50 kg in both the Caulfield Cup and Melbourne Cup.
The Herald Sun carried an article on the Melbourne Cup weights: CLICK HERE TO READ ABOUT MELBOURNE CUP AND CAULFIELD CUP WEIGHTS
