Future History has become the first winner of The Bart Cummings in six years to escape a Melbourne Cup penalty after Racing Victoria’s head of handicapping David Hegan elected to not amend his weight for the November 7 contest.
The Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained gelding remains on 50kg for the Melbourne Cup 2023, for which his place in the race is assured after claiming the ballot exemption that accompanies The Bart Cummings success.
Future History carried 54kg to victory in The Bart Cummings and is already significantly worse off at the weights in the Melbourne Cup compared to some of last Saturday’s rivals, most notably third placegetter Serpentine, which influenced Hegan’s decision.
“Future History carried the minimum of 54kg in The Bart Cummings, and received 4kg from third-placed Serpentine who is weighted at 51kg in the Melbourne Cup,” Hegan said.
“Future History will already meet Serpentine 3kg worse from The Bart Cummings in the Melbourne Cup.
“Having considered the final margins and performance ratings of all runners on Saturday, any penalty for Future History would be excessive in terms of relativity to Serpentine and also to Ashrun, who finished close-up in sixth, if they met in the Melbourne Cup.
“Future History remains on 50kg and will need to go to another level on the first Tuesday in November if he’s to join Almandin in completing The Bart Cummings-Melbourne Cup double.”
Future History becomes the sixth horse to escape a Melbourne Cup penalty after winning The Bart Cummings and first since Amelie’s Star in 2017.
Amelie’s Star finished 14th in that Melbourne Cup, won by Rekindling, but seven of the other eight The Bart Cummings winners who have contested the Melbourne Cup have finished in the top six.
Almandin, in 2016, remains the only horse to have won both races in the same spring since the race was named after the Melbourne Cup legend in 2004.
