Two Top Australian Four-Year-Olds May Already Be Out of Cup

Several top quality four-year-olds were nominated for the Melbourne Cup and when weights were released on Tuesday the Victoria and South Australia Derby winner Rebel Raider received 54.5kg while Rosehill Guineas winner Metal Bender received 54kg. However, it appears one horse will not race this spring while the other is doubtful.

Metal Bender was originally expected to resume racing in the Warwick Stakes at Randwick on 22 August but was withdrawn with reports of a stone bruise. However X-rays have now shown that the Jack Denham trained horse has a fracture in his stifle and will be out for about four-months. He is expected to resume racing at a later date.

Rebel Raider was on the second or third line of betting in the early Melbourne Cup market at around $14 with his two Derby wins, but is also suffering an injury. He pulled up sore on Wednesday after a gallop at Flemington with a problem in the hind fetlock joints. Scans of the area should reveal what the problem is over the next couple of days, but he will not going into the Group 2 Makybe Diva Stakes on 5 September, as originally hoped.

Other good Australian four-year olds to receive 54kg in the Melbourne Cup are the AJC Derby winner Roman Emperor and the Caulfield Guineas winner Whobegotyou. The highest weight allocated to a four-year-old mare was 51.5kg for both AJC Oaks winner Daffodil and the Mick Price trained Gallica. Purple and Typhoon Tracy both got 51kg while New Zealand Oaks winner Jungle Rocket was allocated 50.5kg.

Jo Jackson

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