Al Riffa is the international standard-bearer at the top of the 2026 Cup weights — the French-bred galloper has carried big handicaps with distinction and sits at $15 in early markets despite questions over whether he'll make the trip. His European form is high-class, and O'Brien's 11-strong nomination hand gives the stable options.
The equation for raiders like Al Riffa is always the same: class versus weight. Horses rated high enough to be Cup topweights have historically needed genuine Group 1 quality to overcome 58kg-plus — think Might And Power, Makybe Diva. If Al Riffa arrives at Werribee in October, his trial work will be the most watched morning footage of the spring.