The Winslow trainer learnt several hours after they were released that his stayer Moudre was handicapped at 51 kilograms for both races.

“That’s pretty good,” he said.

“He’s down in the weights because he hasn’t won anything, which is what you would expect.”

Moudre — which has recorded three successive city wins — was yesterday an outright $10 favourite with TAB Sportsbet for the $2.5 million Caulfield Cup (2400m).

But Maher wasn’t getting carried away.

“You don’t really read too much into the hype,” he said.

“You just have to take it as it comes. He’s got to get into the cups first.”

AJC Australian Derby winner Shoot Out is a notable market drifter after the release of weights for the Caulfield and Melbourne cups.

Shoot Out eased from equal favouritism to $11 in the Caulfield Cup after being allotted 55kg.

Chief handicapper Greg Carpenter also gave the four-year-old the same weight in the Melbourne Cup, causing him to drift from $16 to $18.

Shoot Out is the highest-weighted AJC Australian Derby winner for the Melbourne Cup since Universal Prince was given 55.5kg in 2001 after also winning the 2000 Spring Champion Stakes and 2001 Canterbury Guineas as a three-year-old.

Carpenter said the fact that Shoot Out also won the group one Randwick Guineas (1600m) influenced his decision to raise his weight above the norm for a four-year-old after winning the Sydney Classic.

He said Victoria Derby winner Monaco Consul provided him with additional guidance after he finished third to Shoot Out in the Derby in Sydney.

Monaco Consul, which also won the Spring Champion Stakes, has 54kg in the cups and is at $26 for both races.

Zabrasive, which ran fourth in the AJC Australian Derby after winning the Rosehill Guineas, has 53kg in the cups.

He is at $21 in the Melbourne Cup and $16 in the Caulfield Cup.

The Bart Cummings-trained VRC Oaks winner Faint Perfume is $16 for the Melbourne Cup and $14 for the Caulfield Cup after being allotted 52kg in both races.