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Comments by the Racing NSW Handicapping Panel following the release of weights for the $2 million Schweppes Sydney Cup on Saturday, 14th April 2018.

"A total of 117 nominations have been weighted for the 153rd running of the $2 million Group 1-Schweppes Sydney Cup to be staged at Royal Randwick on Day 2 of The Championships on Saturday, 14th April 2018.

Included in the nominations are nine horses from the Group 1 2017 Melbourne Cup (3200m): 1st – Rekindling (GB), 2nd – Johannes Vermeer (Ire), 8th – Libran (Ire), 12th – Almandin (Ger), 13th – Cismontane (NZ), 17th – Single Gaze, 21st – Ventura Storm (Ire), 23rd – Gallante (Ire) and Who Shot Thebarman (NZ) who was scratched.

Single Gaze (Kathy O'Hara) - has been allotted 53kg for the Schweppes Sydney Cup. Image by Bradley Photographers

Also included this year are nine nominations from Japan with Fame Game (Jpn), trained by Yoshitada Munakata, the highest rated on 115 and will be this year’s topweight with 58.0kg on a 50.0kg limit (49.0kg for 3yos). In 2015, he carried 57.0kg and ran 13th beaten 5.5 lengths in the Group 1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) won by Prince of Penzance.

His last start was an impressive win in the Group 3 Diamond Stakes (3400m) at Toyko on 17th February 2018.

Other notable nominations from the above-mentioned Tokyo race are 2nd - Ridge Man (Jpn), 3rd - Sole Impact (Jpn), 4th - Richie Richie (Jpn) and 5th – Prestwick (Jpn). Prestwick will carry 53.0kg and brings some very strong 3000m+ form lines, having also run 3rd carrying 56.0kg two starts ago in the Group 2 Nippon Sho Stayers Stakes (3600m) behind Albert (JPN) 57.0kg and Fame Game (JPN) 57.0kg.

The second-highest weighted horse is 2016 Melbourne Cup winner Almandin (Ger) who has been allotted 57.0kg after having his most recent start on the weekend in the Listed Mornington Cup Prelude (2000m), running 2nd beaten a short half-head.

Last start winner of the 2017 Group 1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) Rekindling (GB) will carry 56.5kg. Prior to the Melbourne Cup he had run 4th beaten 2.1 lengths in the Group 1 St Leger Stakes (2921m) at Doncaster in England.

Johannes Vermeer (Ire), who ran 2nd in the 2017 Melbourne Cup, will also carry 56.5kg. This performance came after running a solid 3rd in the Group 1 2017 Caulfield Cup (2400m). The weight turnaround between the pair is 3.0kg, however, Rekindling was a northern hemisphere 3yo at the time of winning the Cup and therefore has now lost most of this weight age allowance.

The highest weighted mares with 53.0kg are Single Gaze, 2nd in the 2017 Group 1 Caulfield Cup and last start 2nd in the Group 2 Peter Young Stakes (1800m) at Caulfield on Saturday. Also multiple Group-winning mare Lizzie L’amour (NZ), who last start was very impressive winning the Group 1 Herbie Dyke Stakes (2000m) at Te Rapa New Zealand by 5.5 lengths."

Click here to view the full weights for the $2m Schweppes Sydney Cup