LONDON - English trainer Mark Johnston has virtually ruled out making another bid for the Melbourne Cup this year.
He reckons his main hopes Royal Rebel and Murghem have been given "unrealistic" weights for Australia's most famous race.
In past years Johnston has been represented in the cup by Quick Ransom, Double Trigger and Yavana's Pace.
Royal Rebel, successful in the Goodwood Cup and the Lonsdale Stakes on his last two starts, has been set to carry 57.5kg in the Flemington feature, with Geoffrey Freer Stakes winner Murghem on 56kg.
Royal Rebel has only four horses above him in the handicap, of whom Godolphin's pair Fantastic Light and Mutafaweq have both already been ruled out.
Johnston also reckons that his lightly-weighted Virgin Soldier - 254th in the list for the Melbourne Cup - is too low down the field to get a run.
Meanwhile, David Elsworth was not optimistic about a second crack at the Melbourne Cup for Persian Punch, who cut out a lot of the running before running third, three lengths behind another Melbourne Cup entry Enzeli, in Thursday's Doncaster Cup (3600m).
After consulting with owner Jeff Smith Elsworth said it was unlikely that Persian Punch would return to Australia.
"Jeff's not keen on going for the Melbourne Cup but he said we will go to France for the Prix du Cadran," said Elsworth.
Melbourne Cup entry Enzeli, wearing blinkers for the first time, returned to the form which saw him win last season's Gold Cup
"The idea now is to run him in the Prix du Cadran as long as the ground is good," said Pat Downes who is the stud manager for Enzeli's owner, the Aga Khan.
"He is in the Melbourne Cup and it is possible to run in both but the Cadran is the target then we'll think about Melbourne."
- NZPA
Racing: Persian Punch unlikely to return to Melborne
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