Aussie Handicapper impressed with George

Order Of St George has been allotted 54kg for the Melbourne Cup at Flemington on November 3.

The Irish St Leger hero is one of four entries for Aidan O'Brien, with Doncaster Leger first and third Bondi Beach and Fields Of Athenry weighted on 52.5kg and 51kg respectively, while Ascot Gold Cup runner-up Kingfisher has 53kg

Racing Victoria's chief handicapper Greg Carpenter assessed Order Of St George as the equal of last year's winner Protectionist and Snow Sky, who have joint top weight.

He explained: "Order of St George could not have been more impressive winning the Irish St Leger on Sunday by 11 lengths and the 54kg I have allotted him as a northern hemisphere three-year-old is the same as 58kg for an older horse with both being 1.5kg below the weight-for-age benchmark."

Sir Michael Stoute's Snow Sky ran out an impressive winner of the Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot back in June prompting Carpenter to saddle him with 58 kilograms, the equivalent of 9st 2lb, for the Cup.

Both Snow Sky and Protectionist, who is now trained by Kris Lees in Australia after winning for Andreas Wohler last year, will have history to overcome as no original top weight has won the race since 1950.

Carpenter told www.racing.com: "There have been 22 original topweights contest the Melbourne Cup since Comic Court's win in 1950 and none have placed, so Protectionist and Snow Sky would rightfully earn their place among the Cup's true greats if they were to be successful.

"The handicap presents a challenge to both Protectionist and Snow Sky, however, they have earned their position at the heads of the weights based on their performances over the past 12 months.

"Protectionist was a dominant winner of last year's Melbourne Cup carrying 56.5kg and rises 1.5kg for this year's renewal, while Snow Sky is the highest-rated horse in the field having won the coveted Hardwicke Stakes in emphatic fashion at this year's Royal Ascot Carnival."

Protectionist will join an elite band of Makybe Diva (2003-05), Think Big (1974-75), Rain Lover (1968-69), Peter Pan (1932, '34) and Archer (1861-62) as the multiple winners of the Melbourne Cup if he can triumph again this year.

Michael Bell's Goodwood Cup hero Big Orange has been allotted 55.5kg while his Lonsdale Cup conqueror, the Willie Mullins-trained Max Dynamite, has been given 55kg.

Mullins also has Wicklow Brave (52kg), Clondaw Warrior (51kg) and Simenon (51kg) in the reckoning while Dermot Weld's two entries, Manalaplan and Zafayan, have both been given 50kg.

Ed Dunlop sends Red Cadeaux for his fifth attempt at the prize and he also carries 55kg, the same burden as his Ascot Gold Cup-winning stablemate Trip To Paris. The stable's third entry Manndawi has been given 50kg.

Godolphin have a handful of entries with Sky Hunter (54kg), Secret Number (52.5kg), Wadi Al Hattawi (50.5kg), Elhaame (50kg) and Hidden Gold (50kg).