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More than 25 years have passed since a galloper from the southern districts has carried such a massive weight and been successful and that’s the task confronting Seventh Seal at Albury on Thursday.
It's believed prolific-winning mare Ossie Cossie was the last horse in this region to carry such a big weight (66kg) to victory at Gundagai in August of 1997.
Seventh Seal ($3.30 favourite on TAB) will need to lump 66.5kg over 900m in the Benchmark 58 if he is surpass that feat.
The seven-race meeting will be run on a very heavy track (rated a Heavy 10) with 26 mils of rain during the past 24 hours.
Trainer Mitch Beer, who prepares the biggest team in the region at Albury, is hopeful more than confident the meeting will proceed, but if it does he feels Seventh Seal can succeed.
"He is probably the biggest and strongest horse in the stable. I don't think carrying the weight on the wet track over the short distance is beyond him," he said.
"It's not ideal to carry that weight, but it's a drop in class for him back to a Benchmark 58 after racing against better horses of late.
"He is very honest and if he doesn't win he is never too far away."
Seventh Seal's record demonstrates his consistency with a place percentage of almost 60% from 27 starts.
Albury apprentice jockey Coriah Keatings will claim 4kg from Seventh Seal who was gallant at his latest start at Wagga finishing second a week ago. The gelding went down fighting when second to the in-form Magnetic which has won four of his past five starts in the SDRA.
Seventh Seal defeated subsequent winners Chairman's Choice and Smiler Marshal in his latest victory at Corowa in June.
Beer will also start My Bold Boy ($4.20) in the small field with the galloper backing-up after finishing fourth at Wagga last Thursday.
Consistent veteran Exaggerate ($13) has finished second at his two starts since a spell, while Bold Offa ($4.40) is also nearing his first win this preparation.
Beer feels My Bold Boy is close to his peak and will improve fitness wise with more racing.
"He is also much better on a firmer surface and the heavy tracks pulls him up at the end," he suggested.
"Seventh Seal has the edge and if he carries the weight he will be right in the finish. He does often carry big weights for a horse that keeps running places in open company."
