Draw another barrier to Gringott’s weighty task in 2025 The Ingham field

Favourite Gringotts faces an even steeper challenge in the $2 million The Ingham after drawing the extreme outside barrier.

The Ciaron Maher-trained five-year-old already needed to break a modern weight-carrying benchmark with 61kg — eight kilograms above the minimum — and will now jump from gate 24 in the capacity field.

The last winner to shoulder anything similar was Monton in 2011 with 58kg.

Despite the draw, Gringotts holds firm as a $3.80 favourite following powerhouse victories in both the Big Dance and The Gong.

Gringotts’ presence has significant implications for Robusto, last year’s winner.

The Bjorn Baker-trained gelding carried 59.5kg when seventh in the Festival Stakes but now drops to 54kg thanks to the hefty topweight.

“The best part about him (Gringotts) being there is he’s pushing the weights down a little bit,” Baker’s racing manager, Luke Hilton said.

“I think weight pulled Robusto up a bit the other day.

“He was a little bit flat, but he was going from 1300 to 1500 and now he is going from 1500 to 1600, and he’s third-up.

“He is ready to run a peak.”

Robusto will jump from barrier six this year, with Amor Victorious drawing gate three.

But Amor Victorious is highly reliant on the weather, having produced his best performances on surfaces rated soft 5 or better. Rain and storms loom late in the week.

He finished unplaced on the heavy track in The Gong, a run Hilton believes is best overlooked.

“He doesn’t like a really heavy track. He gets through it softish, but it just got too heavy for him the other day,” he said.

“He took good benefit out of it, he’s had the two runs now and we are still really pleased with him. Back on a drier surface he could definitely measure up.”

If you're placing a bet on The Ingham, compare Australia’s top betting sites at JustHorseRacing’s bookmaker hub.