Champion jockey Mark Zahra is convinced international raider Al Riffa has the physical attributes and overall class at his disposal to succeed as the Melbourne Cup topweight.
Al Riffa, who worked out at Werribee on Wednesday with Zahra aboard, is a $7 equal-second favourite for the race that stops a nation behind Caulfield Cup winner Half Yours ($6).
That is despite the Joseph O'Brien-trained stayer needing to overcome the weight of history by carrying 59kg for victory at Flemington on Tuesday.
Rain Lover won his second Cup in 1969 with 60.5kg and no horse has carried 59kg or more to triumph since then.
Makybe Diva carried the most weight of any winner this century when she completed a famous hat-trick with 58kg in 2005.
Two-time Cup-winning jockey Zahra piloted Gold Trip (57kg) in 2022 as the most recent topweight victor.
"He definitely can do it. He's a very big, strong horse," Zahra said of Al Riffa.
"I think the 59 is no problem. I suppose giving the weight away (to other runners) is a problem, but no worries at all with him carrying that sort of weight.
"It's hard, not having ridden him in a race yet, to compare him to Gold Trip.
"But he's a bit bigger, a bit stronger horse and I think he's got all the class like Gold Trip had, for sure."
Zahra, who also won aboard Without A Fight in 2023, is aiming for his third Cup triumph in four years.
He secured the ride on Al Riffa through his connection to Australian Bloodstock, having also partnered with the leading syndicator for Gold Trip's win.
Irish trainer O'Brien has previously won the Cup with Rekindling (2017) and Twilight Payment (2020).
Zahra said those responsible for preparing six-year-old Al Riffa had told him the three-time Group 1 winner sits well in that company.
"The lads were saying this is probably the best horse Joseph's ever brought out here," Zahra said.
"Considering he's had a couple of winners, that's a pretty good wrap.
"He did everything right this morning, so I'm looking forward to the race."
Valiant King ($7) is equal-second favourite with Al Riffa behind Half Yours, while Buckaroo ($9) and French raider Presage Nocturne ($9) round out the top five in early Cup markets.
Al Riffa made a huge statement of intent for the Cup with a dominant win in the Group 1 Irish St Leger (2816m) in September.
"That was a very strong win," Zahra said.
"He travelled well back, relaxed, and then when he asked him he zoomed through.
"You can't win much better than that."
