Racing: Favourite Alcopop not guaranteed a start

MELBOURNE - Four horses, including Caulfield Cup favourite Alcopop and second favourite Herculian Prince, are vying for two places in Saturday's race field.

Racing Victoria handicapper Greg Carpenter will table a report on Alcopop, Herculian Prince, Mourayan and Red Ruler, who are all ranked equal 17th in order of entry, to the Melbourne Racing Club committee at 1pm today.

The final field of 18, plus four emergencies, will be chosen at the discretion of the Melbourne Racing Club and announced about 2.30 pm.

While it would seem unthinkable that either Alcopop or Herculian Prince would miss the final two spots, connections, and punters, will be sweating on the decision.

Alcopop is $5.50 TAB Sportsbet favourite after his fast-finishing second to So You Think in Saturday's Yalumba Stakes, while Herculian Prince ($6.50) is the horse who gave Gai Waterhouse her 100th group one win in the Metropolitan Handicap.

Carpenter said his report would be based on four criteria: recent form, group wins, ratings and prizemoney.

"I will look at their overall career profile and performances since weights were declared," he told the Herald Sun.

Alcopop firmed from $26 to $5.50 with TAB Sportsbet after his Yalumba Stakes run, but Herculian Prince is a much worse result.

"Alcopop was a bit on the nose before Saturday," TAB Sportsbet's Greg Craig said. "But we opened Herculian Prince at $35 and he's been well backed ever since. He's close to our worst way."

Ironically, Alcopop would have run favourite in last year's Caulfield Cup but connections forgot to pay the second declaration fee.

Alcopop, Herculian Prince, Mourayan, Red Ruler and Vigor are equal 17th in order of entry on 5.5kg under weight-for-age.

Qualified runners who will not be final declarations today are Herbert Power Stakes winner Linton (second in order of entry), Once Were Wild (equal seventh) and C'est La Guerre (equal 11th).

Linton's next run will be in the Lexus on Victoria Derby Day, Once Were Wild will go to the Geelong Cup with blinkers back on and C'est La Guerre will run on Saturday in the Coongy Handicap.

Vigor, who ran third in last year's Caulfield Cup, will also miss. Trainer Danny O'Brien said Vigor was being treated for an ulcer on the larynx and he hoped to get him to the post for the Cox Plate.

While Alcopop and Herculian Prince have outstanding current form, Mourayan and Red Ruler are not without claims to a Caulfield Cup berth.

Mourayan, a Lloyd Williams-owned import, is a last-start second in the Metropolitan, while Red Ruler ran fourth in the Yalumba Stakes behind So You Think and Alcopop.

- AAP