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The Gerald Ryan-trained Ironstein heads weights for next Thursday's $175,000 Newcastle Gold Cup.
Photo by Racing and Sports
The evergreen stayer has been given 59kg in the Group 3 staying test - 1.5kg more than Crafty Irna and Peal Of Bells.
Closing in on $1 million in stakes, Ironstein signalled he is set for another profitable campaign with a closing second to Less Is More in the Premier's Cup at Rosehill.
Premier trainer Chris Waller has nominated Lucripetous (55kg) while Gai Waterhouse has entered promising stayer Danas Best (54kg).
Danas Best graduated to Saturday-class metropolitan racing with a last-start win over another Cup entry, Ghost Protocol, at Rosehill.
The Newcastle Gold Cup has re-established itself as a genuine pointer to Australia's best staying races during the past two runnings.
Last year's Melbourne Cup winner Green Moon won the 2011 edition and Glencadam Gold was successful in 2013 before taking out the G1 Metropolitan.
The Cup will be supported by the Tibbie Stakes, a Group 3 race for fillies and mares.
Alma's Fury is the 59kg topweight for Wednesday's the $150,000 Cameron Handicap, an Epsom Handicap lead-up race which is the feature event on the opening day of the Newcastle carnival.
