CLONMEL PREVIEW: Mutakarrim might be 11 years old, and having the 71st start of his career, but Dermot Weld's veteran can prove there is still life in him by landing this evening's apprentice claimer at Clonmel, writes Brian O'Connor.

In the past the 14-time winner has competed against star names on the flat like Yeats, Vinnie Roe and Storming Home, and also jumpers such as Hardy Eustace, so this is very much a drop in class for Mutakarrim.

Incline is something of a claimer specialist but he is running over a full half-a-mile further than the trip he won at in Sligo last time so the stage looks set for Mutakarrim to secure a first victory in 16 months.

Weld has the Juddmonte-owned Gratified in the following maiden but the ex-French Silverhand was a smart juvenile hurdler last winter and he and Declan McDonogh look an eye-catching combination.

MELBOURNE CUP:Triple Ascot Gold Cup winner Yeats has been named top weight for the Melbourne Cup in November, race organisers said yesterday.

The Aidan O'Brien-trained Yeats was allocated 59 kilograms, marking the third year in a row the eight-year-old has been saddled with the highest handicap for Australia's richest and most famous horse race.

Yeats's stablemate, Septimus, who was crowned Europe's champion stayer in 2007, was given the second top weight of 58.5kg and last year's race winner, Australian horse Efficient, was handed a weight of 58kg.

"The best three staying performances of the last year were by Yeats, Septimus and Efficient so they will head the weights," chief handicapper Greg Carpenter said.

Delta Blues and Pop Rock, the Japan-trained duo which completed a unique one-two in the 2006 Melbourne Cup, were included among the top weights but have already been ruled out of the race because of Australia's strict quarantine regulationss.

Australian racing was crippled last year by an outbreak of equine influenza that authorities traced back to Japan and officials have banned any horses travelling directly from Japan to Australia.