Persian Punch could bid to end his career on a high in the Tooheys New Melbourne Cup, his trainer David Elsworth said yesterday.

The popular stayer, who finished a close third to Jezabeel in the Flemington race in 1998, was allotted 9st 1lb in the weights published earlier this week.

The eight-year-old has been in the form of his life this season, finishing second in the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot, and winning the JP Morgan Private Bank Goodwood Cup and York's Weatherbys Insurance Lonsdale Stakes on his last two starts.

The Persian Heights gelding has won 14 races and over £583,000 in prize money in a glittering career but a Group One success has proved elusive so far.

However, Elsworth hopes to put that record straight when he sends Jeff Smith's charge for the Jefferson Smurfit Memorial Irish St Leger at the Curragh tomorrow week.

"If he runs well in the Irish Leger and we pull up sound, we run in Melbourne," he said.