WEIGHTS for the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups were released on Tuesday with the New Zealand-bred Humidor topping the weights in both races at 58kgs for trainer Darren Weir, having placed 19th last year. Australian-bred horses comprised 28 of the 183 entered compared to 57 bred in Ireland.

Across the top three lines of betting, the current picks have a 6kg spread; Kings Will Dream 53kg, Magic Circle 56kg, Torcedor 57kg, Cross Counter 51kg, Unforgotten 52.5kg and Withhold 53kg.

“With the high-class European pair Stradivarius and Vazirabad opting against travelling to Australia and no previous Melbourne Cup winners amongst the entries, all horses nominated for the Caulfield Cup and Melbourne Cup have been asked to carry more weight than they otherwise would have done,” said Greg Carpenter, Racing Victoria’s Executive General Manager of Racing.

“With the conditions stating that each race has a minimum top-weight of 58kg at the release of the handicaps, it is three-time Group 1 winner and Cox Plate runner-up Humidor that has been allotted the top-weight in both races.

“Despite the absence of what I would call a natural top-weight in both races, there is tremendous depth and quality among the entries and I suspect that the challenge to gain a start in both Cups will be the toughest in recent years.

“At this point, it looks as though we can expect a record number of international runners across the Spring Racing Carnival, so locally-trained horses could face a tough task in ensuring the Cups remain here in Australia. That said,t with horses like Kings Will Dream, Unforgotten and Ace High prominent in the early betting markets, I’m sure the overseas raiders won’t have it all their own way.”

Aidan O’Brien heads the international entries with 12 in Lexus Melbourne Cup and four entered for the Stella Artois Caulfield Cup. Returning too are Willie Mullins and last year’s winning trainer Joseph O’Brien with his Irish Derby winner Latrobe.

Princess of Wales’s Stakes winner Best Solution, aiming to deliver a first victory in the Melbourne Cup for Godolphin and a second in the Caulfield Cup, has been allocated 57.5kg in both races; while the Australian Bloodstock-owned Torcedor, whose German trainer Andreas Wohler won the 2014 Melbourne Cup with Protectionist, has 57kg in both Cups. Irish champion trainer, Aidan O’Brien, whose stayer Johannes Vermeer ran a into place in both the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups last year, has four horses nominated for the Caulfield Cup and 12 for the Melbourne Cup as he chases a maiden victory in both.

LEXUS MELBOURNE CUP

IRISH ENTRIES;

Aidan O’Brien

Lancaster Bomber (USA) 57.5kg, Cliffs Of Moher (IRE) 56.5kg, Idaho (IRE) 56kg, Deauville (IRE) 53.5kg, Kew Gardens (IRE) 53kg, Yucatan (IRE) 52kg, Flag Of Honour (IRE) 51kg, Rostropovich (IRE) 51kg, Giuseppe Garibaldi (IRE) 50kg, Hunting Horn (IRE) 50kg, Nelson (IRE) 50kg, The Pentagon (IRE) 50kg

WIllie Mullins

Max Dynamite (FR) 54kg, Thomas Hobson (GB) 52kg, Chelkar (FR) 50kg, Lagostovegas (IRE) 50kg, Stratum (GB) 50kg

Joseph O’Brien

Latrobe (IRE) 52kg, Master Of Reality (IRE) 50kg, Ming (IRE) 50kg

STELLA ARTOIS CAULFIELD CUP

IRISH ENTRIES;

Aidan O’Brien

Cliffs Of Moher (IRE) 56.5kg, Idaho (IRE) 56kg , Deauville (IRE) 53.5kg, Yucatan (IRE) 52kg

Willie Mullins

Chelkar (FR), 50kg

Joseph O’Brien

Latrobe (IRE) 52kg, Master Of Reality (IRE) 50kg, Ming (IRE) 50kg