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Ante-post favourite Vauban has been given 55kg for the Melbourne Cup at Flemington on 7 November.

The Willie Mullins -trained Vauban holds an international rating of 114 after comfortable victories in the Copper Horse Handicap at Royal Ascot and the Group 3 Ballyroan Stakes at Naas.

Racing Victoria's head handicapper David Hegan said: "Most horses have a threshold, when they get to a certain weight they cannot perform to those levels. 

"I dare say whether he carries 54kg to 55kg to 56kg … he can carry the weight no issue.

"It may work out his threshold for the performance difference is beyond 55kg, we can only rate him on the flat form and what he's done … we have weighted him right up to that rating."

Stablemate Absurde received automatic entry for the Melbourne Cup following his success in the 'win and you're in' Ebor Handicap at York. The five-year-old gelding has been assigned 53kg. 

Potential Royal runner Desert Hero has been given 51.5kg following his third in the Group 1 St Leger at Doncaster on Saturday. He, alongside Lastochka and Tower Of London , must enter quarantine in the U.K by 1 October to participate at Flemington.

Last year's winner Gold Trip has been an extra 1kg in his bid for back to back victories and will carry 58.5kg. A horse has not won the Melbourne Cup with a weight of 58.5kg since Think Big in 1975.

"We have effectively lifted Gold Trip 2kg from his true weight last year, which is less than the penalty afforded other Melbourne Cup winners in recent times," said Hegan.

"However, we are mindful that it is 48 years since a horse has carried 58.5kg to victory in either Cup so a significant challenge awaits."