One handicapping guideline introduced a year ago in relation to the Caulfield Cup winner’s Melbourne Cup penalty is no longer in play.
Racing Victoria’s chief handicapper Greg Carpenter announced last year that if the winner of the Caulfield Cup already had 56kg or more for the Melbourne Cup, they would not be re-handicapped.
Also, any horse who won the Caulfield Cup with less than 56kg would not be re-handicapped for the Melbourne Cup to more than 56kg.
That is no longer the case for 2018, Carpenter said on Monday.
“The arrangement last year is no longer available in the conditions of the Melbourne Cup,” Carpenter said.
“The VRC (Victoria Racing Club) have changed the conditions of the Melbourne Cup this year so that as the handicapper I can’t make a deliberation about penalty prior to the race (Caulfield Cup) being run.
“So I can’t say that any horse who wins on Saturday, whether it’s Best Solution with 57.5kg, Cliffs of Moher (The Cliffsofmoher) with 56.5kg, won’t be penalised.”
Godolphin’s international visitor Best Solution and the Aidan O’Brien-trained The Cliffsofmoher are the only two horses weighted above 56kg in the Caulfield Cup with the final field to be declared on Tuesday.
