Willie Mullins takes Melbourne Cup plunge with borderline Simenon Weights for the £4 million race were released on Tuesday in Australia, with French-trained Dunaden, the 2011 winner, heading the list on 9st 3lb, followed by Green Moon, last year's winner, on 9st 1lb. Puissance De Lune, the long-time Melbourne Cup favourite, has been weighted on a handy mark of 8st 8lb and is as low as 5-1 with British bookmakers. Simenon received 8st 6lb, which according to unofficial calculations, places him at around No 36 in the order of entry, which is calculated by a comparison with the weight-for-age scale. "We are committed to go, even though we are not guaranteed to get a run," Mullins said yesterday. We know it's probably a 50-50 chance, but the owners are keen, and the horse has been in quarantine in Newmarket. He's settled in great and he's been eating and drinking OK. He was due to have a little breeze on Tuesday. Reports indicate that at least five European entries higher in the weights are doubtful, which is welcome news to Mullins, who has started looking for a preliminary race in to get a small penalty for the Cup. We are looking at several options, but I would prefer it if the race was not too close to the Cup. The first shipment of Cup contenders leaves Europe are due to arrive in Melbourne on Sept 28. They will then enter the Racing Victoria quarantine centre at Werribee, a country track 25 miles from the city centre. Closer to home, Al Kazeem has been committed to the Prix De L'Arc de Triomphe. Connections had been considering Ascot's Champion Stakes as an alternative, but with ground conditions likely to be ideal in Paris they have plumped for that race as their autumn target.