EMIRATES Melbourne Cup weights were released on Tuesday with Order Of St George topping the scale on 58.5kg for the A$6 million handicap over 3,200 metres. Half a kilo below him is Godolphin’s James Cummings-trained Hartnell, with last year’s winner Almandin allocated 56.5kg. Order Of St George is still a doubtful runner, with O’Brien favouring a return to Chantilly for the Arc. However, the Ballydoyle trainer could still be represented by Johannes Vermeer (54.5) and US Army Ranger (53.5).

Joseph O’Brien makes a maiden appearance in the Cup weights with Rekindling (51.5) and Willie Mullins has entered Max Dynamite (54), Wicklow Brave (54) and Thomas Hobson (52), who finished second in yesterday’s Doncaster Cup (report on A39).

Overall, 140 horses are weighted, a quarter of whom are Irish-bred. Of the 35 Irish-bred entrants, 22 of those are in Australian or New Zealand stables. Charlie Appleby returns after an impressive spring debut last year with Francis Of Assisi (54), Qewy (53), Kidmenever (50.5) and Penglai Pavilion (50), while Saeed Bin Suroor has Natural Scenery (51), Winning Story (51) and Red Galileo (50.5).

Other International trainers to nominate runners are, Noriyuki Hori, Alain Couetil, Roger Varian, Hughie Morrison (two runners), Andreas Wohler (two), Sir Mark Prescott, William Haggas, Marco Botti, Iain Jardine, Ed Dunlop, Freddy Head, Hugo Palmer, Markus and Stephanie Nigge, and Mick Channon.

COX PLATE

Ten international runners remain in the A$3 million Cox Plate field after first acceptances were taken Tuesday. Five of those are from Ballydoyle, headed by the Grade 1 winner Deauville, as well as Johannes Vermeer, Cliffs Of Moher, Lancaster Bomber and Taj Mahal.

Willie Mullins has Riven Light, a winner at Listowel this week, still in the field, while Saeed bin Suroor has Prize Money and Best Solution. Jane Chapple-Hyam is represented by Kaspersky, who she has already highlighted as an Emirates Stakes prospect at the Melbourne Cup Carnival.

CAULFIELD CUP

Weights were also released for the A$3 million BMW Caulfield Cup on Tuesday, with 147 entered. Hartnell is top-weight at 58kg ahead of Almandin at 56.5kg and the Darren Weir-trained pair of Admire Deus and Humidor, both on 56kg. Like the Melbourne Cup, the race carries a minimum handicap of 50kg.

Mullins has entered the same three horses – Wicklow Brave (54), Thomas Hobson (52) and Riven Light (50.5) – and Aidan O’Brien has duplicated entries for Johannes Vermeer (54.5) and US Army Ranger (53.5).

New Zealand Oaks and Australian Oaks winner Bonneval has been allotted 52.5kg after she made a successful return to the racetrack winning Saturday’s Group 2 Dato Tan Chin Nam Stakes over Moonee Valley’s 1,600 metres.

Trainer Murray Baker was surprised by the result. “She’s probably fitter than I thought she was but it’s very hard to judge them when you come from New Zealand,” he said.

“It’s been the wettest winter for 40 years and we didn’t quite know where she was. We thought that if she ran on for fifth we’d be happy but she’s got that electric sprint finish.”

By winning Saturday’s race, Bonneval attained an automatic ballot-free entry to the Cox Plate but Baker was reluctant to commit to the Group 1 event. “Not unless Winx drops out,” he said. “She’s targeting the Caulfield Cup but we’ll just wait to map out her next race. She’s a good filly and she is very honest.”