Joint-topweights out to do something not achieved in a century of Adelaide Cups.
Phillip Stokes has immense belief in Deakin, but even he baulked at asking the emerging stayer to carry 59kg in Monday's Adelaide Cup.
The South Australian knows what it takes to win an Adelaide Cup, having won two of the past four, and is well aware that is weight that hasn't been carried to victory in over a century.
Hyperno (1978) and Gallic (2007) own the metric weight carrying-record of 58kg but you have to go back to King Ingoda, who won under 9 stone 7 – or 60.5kg – in 1923, for the previous winner with at least 59kg.
Deakin's non-acceptance leaves Grand Pierro and Promises Kept, the joint 58.5kg topweights, as the potential history-defiers in the 3200-metre Group 2.
This century 10 horses have run in the Adelaide Cup under at least 58.5kg, the best results three narrow second placings.
Drunken Sailor has carried the heaviest weight this millennium, 59.5kg, and was beaten a head in 2012. Three years later Taiyoo was nosed out under 59kg, the year after Black Tycoon was beaten a short-neck under the same weight.
Horses to carry 58.5kg+ in Adelaide Cup (since 2000)
2012: Drunken Sailor 2nd (59.5kg)
2013: Titch 12th (59kg), Tuscan Fire last (58.5kg)
2014: Black Tycoon 2nd (59kg)
2015: Taiyoo 2nd (59kg)
2018: Double Bluff 4th (58.5kg), Benzini 9th (59kg)
2020: Home By Midnight 12th (58.5kg)
2023: Persan 6th (59kg), Grand Promenade 11th (58.5kg)
Most Adelaide Cups are won by horses carrying 54kg or less with Zavite (57.5kg), Fanatic (57.5kg), Capecover 57kg, Daqiansweet Junior (56.5kg), Norsqui (56kg) and Annus Mirablilis (55.kg) the others to win with more than that amount.
Alhambra Lad (56kg) and Deakin's stablemate Taramansour (55kg) join the topweights as those in this year's race with more than 53.5kg.
Taramansour is favourite, heading in off a third placing behind Cup rivals Gotta Go Guru and Silent Surrente in the 2600m Lord Reims Stakes at Morphettville on February 22.
That Group 3 event is long established the major local guide and featured in the lead-up form of 21 of the 33 Adelaide Cup winners from 1980 to 2012 but has not produced a winner since Rialya in 2012.
Ten of the 12 winners since Rialya had their final lead-up run in Melbourne with the other two having come out of the Launceston Cup, including last year's winner Excelleration.
That's the race Promises Kept comes through, along with Alhambra Lad, while Newfoundland and the Shane Jackson-trained pair of Highland Blaze and Make Us Proud are those in the field coming off a lead-up run in Melbourne.
