Different weights announced for the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups 

Star galloper Sir Delius has been given topweight of 59kg for the 150th edition of the $6.55 million Sportsbet Caulfield Cup (2400m) with his absence from nominations for the 166th running of the $10.2 million Lexus Melbourne Cup (3200m) leading to different sets of weights for the iconic handicaps.

Without triple-Group 1 winner and natural topweight Sir Delius, reigning Caulfield and Melbourne Cup champion Half Yours has been allocated 59kg topweight for this year’s Melbourne Cup with today’s release of weights by Racing Victoria’s (RV) Head of Handicapping, David Hegan.

Horses in the Melbourne Cup have this year been allocated 1.5kg more to meet the requirement of a minimum 59kg topweight, meaning dual entries above the minimum weight have been allotted different handicaps in the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups for the second consecutive year.

A minimum topweight at the release of handicaps has been in place since before the turn of the century. Prior to the 2025 Cups, that weight was lifted from 58kg to 59kg and the minimum increased from 50kg to 51kg in line with it to ensure owners and trainers have a broad cross section of jockeys to choose from. 

It is also a condition for both Cups that the final field is declared with a minimum topweight of 57kg meaning weights may also be raised at that time if a horse with at least 57kg does not accept.

Consequently, the Tony and Calvin McEvoy-trained Half Yours will carry 57.5kg should he choose to defend his Caulfield Cup crown which is 1.5kg less than his Melbourne Cup allocation. 

Group 1 winners Buckaroo (Chris Waller) and Light Infantry Man (Ciaron Maher) come next in the Caulfield Cup weights at 57kg, with the latter allocated 58.5kg in the Melbourne Cup and the former not entered.

Star Chris Waller pair Birdman and three-time Group 1 winner Aeliana will both carry 56.5kg in the Caulfield Cup and 58kg in the Melbourne Cup, while Joseph O’Brien’s dual-Group 2 winner Sons And Lovers is the highest-weighted international competitor with 56kg and 57.5kg respectively.

Quotes attributable to RV’s Head of Handicapping, David Hegan:

“Sir Delius, a three-time Group 1 winner, stands out as the best performed horse and natural topweight for this year’s Caulfield Cup, however his absence from the Melbourne Cup has necessitated two different sets of weights.

“Last year saw the introduction of a 1kg overall increase to the weight structure of both races where topweights must be assigned 59kg at the release of weights and the minimum weight for older horses is 51kg.

“Half Yours was the dominant Caulfield and Melbourne Cup champion in 2025 and has been weighted accordingly. He effectively rises 4.5kg from his Melbourne Cup performance before the additional 1.5kg was applied to ensure a 59kg topweight.

“That increase applies to all Melbourne Cup entrants above the minimum weight, meaning that a horse like Shockletz, having earned ballot exemption via Saturday’s Lexus Archer Stakes over 2500m, doesn’t rise from the minimum weight of 51kg.

“From an international viewpoint, Sons And Lovers has proven his staying power with Group 2 wins at 2800m and 3000m and he also shouldered 63.5kg at his most recent start when running a slashing second over 2414m at Leopardstown.

“One of the more interesting runners to handicap was Highwayman who capped a meteoric rise with a dominant win in the Group 1 English St Leger. In doing so he achieved the same rating as Jan Brueghel in 2024 and has effectively been given the same weight under the relative scale at 56.5kg.

“In the Caulfield Cup, whilst Buckaroo hasn’t won since finishing second in the 2024 Caulfield Cup, he’s consistently placed in Group 1 races and his runner-up finish to Via Sistina in the 2025 Cox Plate has him one of the highest rated horses in the race. He’s been given 57kg as a result.”

Lexus Melbourne Cup – Additional Horses of Note

Joining Sons And Lovers among Joseph O’Brien’s 11 Melbourne Cup nominations is the Australian Bloodstock-owned Defiantly, assigned 56.5kg and guaranteed a Melbourne Cup start as winner of Group 2 Prix Kergorlay (3000m) in France.

Grahame Begg’s Andrew Ramsden (2800m) winner Zakouma (52kg) also holds ballot exemption, as does Shockletz (51kg) – the daughter of 2009 Melbourne Cup winner Shocking.

O’Brien’s impressive Curragh Cup (2816m) winner Trustyourinstinct has been allotted 57kg, the same weight as Japanese entrant, the Yasuo Tomomichi-trained Stinger Glass. 

O’Brien’s 2025 runner-up Goodie Two Shoes carries 55kg, a relative increase of 2kg on last year’s weight of 51.5kg, while 56.5kg is allocated to 2024 Melbourne Cup winner Knight’s Choice who has accepted for Saturday’s Group 3 Naturalism Stakes (2000m) at Caulfield.

Sportsbet Caulfield Cup – Additional Horses of Note

Early favourite, the Bjorn Baker-trained and Godolphin-owned Green Spaces, is allocated 54.5kg and boasts a strong Group 1 win over 2400m as a three-year-old in the ATC Derby.

Sitting on the same weight of 54.5kg are the two most highly fancied international entrants in Roger Varian’s Group 3 Glorious Stakes (2412m) winner Enfjaar and Harry Charlton’s Group 3 Geoffrey Freer Stakes (2671m) winner Wine Dark Sea.

Ciaron Maher’s in-form galloper Saint George (53.5kg) is yet to pass the first elimination clause and thus will generate plenty of interest when he lines up in Saturday’s Naturalism Stakes which offers the winner Caulfield Cup ballot exemption. Among his rivals will be highly rated stablemate Zahrann who needs to further his chances of securing a start after being handed only 52.5kg.

Maher already has two runners with ballot exemptions in Kings Valley (51kg), who secured his start courtesy of his Listed Mornington Cup (2400m) victory in April, and Royal Supremacy (54.5kg), who dazzled winning the rich Group 2 Q22 (2200m) during the Queensland Winter Carnival.

Caulfield specialists, Group 2 Zipping Classic (2400m) winner She’s a Hustler and Listed Heatherlie Stakes (1700m) winner Kingswood, have been assigned 53kg and 55kg respectively. 

For the full list of Sportsbet Caulfield Cup weights and the Order of Entry as at 17 September 2026, please click here.

For the full list of Lexus Melbourne Cup weights and the Order of Entry as at 17 September 2026, please click here.