THE Lloyd Williams-owned Mourayan will have to set a modern day weight carrying record if successful in Friday’s $170,000 Albury Gold Cup.
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The Sydney Cup winner was allocated the maximum weight of 62 kilograms after the release of handicaps yesterday.
Mourayan has been allocated a half kilogram more than stablemate Sea Moon.
Four of the Team Williams runners feature in the top five weighted runners, with Tanby on 58 kilograms and Irish import Massiyn 57.
Only the Peter Moody-trained Sneak A Peak (59) splits the four.
More than half of the 27 nominations for the $170,000 feature have been allocated the minimum weight of 54 kilograms, including last year’s winner Niblick, stablemate Price Of Glory and Corowa Cup winner Full Hand.
Niblick carried the topweight of 58 kilograms last year to hand leading Albury trainer Brett Cavanough his first cup.
Mourayan is the highest-rated horse to ever nominate for the Albury Gold Cup with a rating of 111.
The Robert Hickmott-trained gelding ran a slashing second behind Melbourne Cup winner Fiorente at Caulfield first-up from a spell on February 22.
The Irish import then finished fourth in the group 1 Australian Cup, also taken out by Fiorente, at his most recent start.
No galloper has previously been allocated the maximum of 62 kilograms since the Albury Gold Cup was changed to a quality handicap.
Hofmeister set the modern day weight-carrying record to win the 2007 cup with 61 kilograms when partnered by champion hoop Damien Oliver.
Since then, Ginga Dude is the only other galloper to be allocated more than 60 kilo- grams when he finished seventh behind Paddy O’Reilly in 2011.
The Brian Cox-trained Sumakaray will carry the topweight of 60 kilograms in the Flat Knacker.
Cox has snapped up the services of Hugh Bowman to ride his stable star.
Acceptances for all races over the two-day carnival close at 9am today with the barrier draw for the Albury Gold Cup to be held at the Commercial Club from 10am.