UPDATE: Connections of Admire Rakit have advised Racing Victoria that this horse will take its place in the Cup, despite the penalty after its victory in the Caulfield Cup.
He will carry 58.5kg in the Melbourne Cup, with Andrew Bensley saying the trainer was “very keen” to run him.
Caulfield Cup winner Admire Rakti has been given an additional 0.5kg penalty weight handicap for the 2014 Melbourne Cup, with connections of the horse now to decide if he will run in the six million dollar race on November 4.
UPDATE: Connections of the horse have advised Racing Victoria that Admire Rakti will take its place in the cup, despite the penalty.
Already top-weight for the Melbourne Cup, Admire Rakti’s handicap now stands at 58.5kg. Only Think Big in 1975 has carried more to win the Melbourne Cup since 1972, although weight scales have changed and there is less weight differences between top-weight and bottom weights.
In adjusted weights, Makybe Diva’s 58kg weight in 2005 included a 2.5kg mares’ allowance – the equivalent of a male horse carrying 60.5kg. (That rule was subsequently changed, with handicappers now giving mares a 1.5kg allowance only)
The 0.5kg penalty given to the Japanese horse is the lowest given to a Caulfield Cup winner since Ming Dynasty escaped without a penalty in 1980.
The impressive stallion stormed home to win the Caulfield ahead of New Zealand rivals to give the Japanese raiders the win they desired in one of the biggest races of the spring, after fellow Japan runner Bande was scratched in the days leading up to the Cup.
Owner Riichi Kondo had earlier declared that should the horse receive a significant penalty, he wouldn’t run the horse, and possibly return him to Japan for the Japan Cup on November 30.
While 0.5kg isn’t exactly ‘significant’, it would still tip the scales in the mind of the owner who was unwilling to push over the 58kg barrier.
“This horse has not raced for some time and he has won the Caulfield Cup, and then he has only two weeks to get ready for the Melbourne Cup,” Kondo said. “Extra weight would be a worry because I must have the horse’s welfare to think of,” he told Fairfax.
“I would be worried and concerned if he was to get any more than 58 [kilograms] on Melbourne Cup day. Back in Japan 58 is the highest weight allotted to any horse, so if he gets above that I will be worried.”
The Roar expects Admire Rakti to line-up for the 2014 Melbourne Cup as favourite.
Bondy
Guest
Lads Ad Ratk got in the road of Luc Val in the Clfd Cup Ratki's now 4's Luc Val's at 7"s ,pretty simple really . Fawkner's the form horse of the carnival and he'll be right there too ..
Scuba
Guest
No, there's no point in betting on him now. He'll start longer on the day. The market will react to horses who run well on the next two Saturdays. The only horses I'd consider betting on now are horses like Fawkner (who'll shorten if he wins or runs well in the Cox Plate) or Au Revoir (who'll shorten dramatically if he wins or runs well in the Moonee Valley Cup).
ray
Guest
Knowing flem is likely to a much firmer track than the heaths almost dead 5 on saturday. (times saturday v slow) Can AR handle firm tracks. He looks pitched in but a bad barrier can undo the best laid plans. At 3s, thats no smashin great odds, i'll take him on, got to be value somewhere in a big field, and nearly Always is.
Scuba
Guest
True, but when Think Big won his second the third placegetter carried 46 kilos. The race was a true handicap back then, not run on the compressed scale used today.
Bondy
Guest
Think Big 58.5kg's and Rain Lover 60.5kg's were the last two horses to carry more than 58 kg's to win the Cup in 1975 @ 1969 respectively, thats also when the Cup's weren't an International event (excluding New Zealand), he's got the task ahead ...
kv joef
Roar Guru
so i figure everyone you thinks the penalty is too light will be elbowing each other out of the way to get to the front of the betting queue ... wouldn't push too hard as i believe the books have left the bag open with a sign saying throw-it-in, you'll be right. the CCup was the prelim-final. MCup is a different beast, particularly this year with the raised weights. i actually can't remember that happening before and if it did it wasn't 2kg.
Tim
Guest
Dunaden was multiple group 1 winner, this was rakti's first group 1 win.
Scuba
Guest
Agreed Brent - can't see how Carpenter can possibly justify .5 given that he gave Dunaden 1 kg for a similar win when he was already top weight.
Bondy
Guest
BF " Back in Japan 58 is the highest weight allotted to any horse, so if he gets above that I will be worried", interesting fact . I dont necessarily think so he can be beaten this horse, wheres he going to go if he draws the one gate for instance.
Brent Ford
Roar Guru
They laid down to the owner in my eyes.
kv joef
Roar Guru
reckon he'll run. the penalty is a badge of honour for a J-horse. what else are they going to do? ... go home and run into the locals, that have already toweled him up, in the JCup and/or Arima Kinen.