Already needing to set a modern-day weight-carrying record to win the $2 million The Ingham, favourite Gringotts will now have to do it from the outside barrier.
The Ciaron Maher-trained five-year-old has come up with gate 24 in the capacity field of 20 plus four emergencies, adding a fresh layer of difficulty to his task of lumping topweight of 61kg, eight kilos over the minimum.
The last horse to successfully carry a comparable impost was Monton, who won the 2011 renewal with 58kg.
Despite the draw, Gringotts remains a $3.80 top pick and has been unstoppable carting similar weights at his past two starts when he has captured the Big Dance and The Gong, both over a mile.
His presence is regarded as a blessing and a curse by connections of rival runner and defending The Ingham (1600m) titleholder, Robusto.
The Bjorn Baker-trained gelding carried 59.5kg when seventh in the Festival Stakes (1500m) last start but with Gringotts so high in the handicaps, Robusto drops to 54kg on Saturday.
“The best part about him (Gringotts) being there is he’s pushing the weights down a little bit,” Baker’s racing manager, Luke Hilton said.
“I think weight pulled Robusto up a bit the other day.
“He was a little bit flat, but he was going from 1300 to 1500 and now he is going from 1500 to 1600, and he’s third-up.
“He is ready to run a peak.”
Robusto won last year’s The Ingham from barrier four and has gate six on Saturday, while stablemate Amor Victorious has drawn three.
However, the latter’s chances could hinge on track conditions as his best form is on ground rated a soft 5 and better, and rain and storms have been forecast for Sydney during the backend of the week.
Amor Victorious finished unplaced on a heavy surface in The Gong, and Hilton felt it brought him undone.
“He doesn’t like a really heavy track. He gets through it softish, but it just got too heavy for him the other day,” he said.
“He took good benefit out of it, he’s had the two runs now and we are still really pleased with him. Back on a drier surface he could definitely measure up.”
