Puccini, El Roca and Vespa top the Free Handicaps released by chief handicap Brett Scelly on behalf of the New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association.
New Zealand Derby winner Puccini heads the three-year-old division at 1601 metres and beyond with a rating of 60.5kg.
However, with the two-kilo sex allowance he is rated on a par with the Group One-winning fillies Rising Romance (Australian Oaks), Kirramosa (VRC Oaks) and Lucia Valentina (Vinery Stud Stakes), who are all rated at 58.5kg.
“At the top end with the Group One horses they sort themselves out, but the Australian form can throw in a few hurdles,” said Scelly, who has now twice framed the Free Handicaps.
New Zealand Oaks winner Miss Mossman has been allotted 57kg with the New Zealand Derby placegetter Glorious Lad on 56kg.
In the 1200-1600m class, the stakes winner and Group One performer El Roca tops the table with 60kg ahead of the Gr.1 Railway Stakes winner Bounding, who has been assessed at 59kg.
The Gr.1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas winner Atlante has been given 58.5kg, a half-kilo superior to Franzac. Recite beat Franzac in the Gr.1 Levin Classic and the stablemates shares a 58kg rating while the Gr.1 NZ 1000 Guineas winner Costa Viva, NZ 2000 Guineas runner-up Chambord and Puccini are on 57.5kg.
The Gr.1 Diamond Stakes and Listed Karaka Million winner Vespa leads the juvenile Free Handicap on 59kg ahead of Prince Mambo, second in the Gr.1 Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes, with 57.5kg.
The Awapuni feature race winner O’Marilyn has been given 57kg, a weight she shares with the Gr.3 Phoenix Park 2YO Classic and Group One-placed Artic Wolf and the Gr.2 Matamata Breeders’ Stakes winner Lady Royale.
Steel Rose, who won the Gr.2 Wakefield Challenge Stakes and was runner-up at Matamata, and Al Pacino, third in the Wakefield, were both given 55kg.
