2020 Melbourne Cup champion, Twilight Payment will need to carry a top weight of 58 kilos and register a new age record for the win if he’s to replicate his heroics displayed at the world’s richest handicap race. The Team Williams-Owned gelding trained by Joseph O’Brien will be 9 years old to Australian time if he can manage to make it through the racing day at Flemington. However, no horse this old has ever managed to be victorious in the 3200-meter contest.
The Irish gelding ridden by Jye McNeil equaled the record of Toryboy (1865) and Catalogue (1938) after landing the prize last year. Twilight Payment will truly set a new history if he manages to win again this year, and he remains among the top horses to wager on for anyone interested in the Melbourne cup betting: bookmakers, odds and favourites for this year’s race.
The son of Teofilo the Irish stallion will need to concede two and a half kilos to boom Incentivise – a former Queenslander that recorded a winning streak of seven on the spin last Saturday, winning in his group 1 debut at the Makybe Diva Stakes. That was over 1600 meters, which is half the Cup distance, which is considered his best trip.
Trainer Peter Moody knew that succeeding there would give them a higher weight and although they were well rewarded for their enterprise, they’ll be hoping that victory hasn’t negatively impacted their handicap mark. Unfortunately, the fact that there will be fewer foreigners this year hasn’t helped Incentivise.
Overseas-trained stayers will be highly judged and they tend to get higher weights, allowing local raiders like Moody’s galloper to get into the race lighter than they would normally. However, the consolation is that he’ll have no problem making it to the field.
After beating Twilight Payment home at the Irish St Leger, Sonnyboyliston got the same weight as Williams galloper (58kg), but Carpenter wouldn’t be coming. 2020’s Cox Plate winner Sir Dragonet was the next highest weighted runner at 57.5 kgs, followed by several high-class horses placed at 57kg. That includes Caulfied Cup champion Verry Eleegant, French-based Gold Trip, and Spanish Mission.
All these horses have 57kgs and accomplishments on the tracks have ensured they’ve earned it. Veery Elleegant has merged victorious in eight group 1 races, making him among the world’s best mare. Spanish Mission is arguably Europe’s second-best stayer behind the iconic Stradivarius. These two horses staged a stirring duel at York in August and Stradivarius prevailed in the 3200-meter Lonsdale Cup.
Carpenter admitted that choosing how to weigh Incentivise was a tough task that he mastered in his 17-year career compiling the Melbourne Cup weights. Sir Dragonet is heading the $5 million weights for the Caulfield Cup at 58 kilos, standing ahead of the 2020 champion, Verry Elleegant, and Spanish Mission.
Incentivise is standing on the same mark as Homesman at 55.5 kilos, with other key participants including Explosive Jack at 54kgs and former AFL champion Johnny Get Angry at 53kgs. Realm of Flowers won’t be on the ballot at Melbourne after winning the Andrew Ramsden in May.
