Greg Carpenter, has today announced that he has issued a weight penalty to Chapada in the 2020 Melbourne Cup (3200m).
The Mike Moroney trained five-year-old won his way into this Saturday’s Caulfield Cup (2400m) with a win in the Herbert Power Stakes at the same track and distance.
Under the conditions of the Caulfield Cup, Chapada could not penalised for his Group 2 winat Caulfield last Saturday and will carry just 50.5kg.
Chapada can be penalised in the 2020 Melbourne Cup though, where he has today been handed an additional 1.5kg. The penalty sees him rise to 52kg and to 45th in the order of entry for the famous Flemington feature on 3 November.
Carpenter said: “Chapada ran very well when second in the Group 3 Naturalism over 2000m and then, when stepping out to 2400m on Saturday, he was very strong at the end of the Herbert Power defeating Zebrowski and Platinum Invador who have 52kg and 53kg respectively in the Melbourne Cup.
“Saturday’s Group 2 victory further enhanced Chapada’s excellent record at 2400m and beyond, which includes placings in the 2018 VRC Derby and 2019 Sandown Classic.
“The 1.5kg penalty is the same given to Shewan in 2011 and Shahwardi in 2012, both of whom did not contest the Melbourne Cup, and to Alcopop who won the race in 2009 and went on to run sixth in the Melbourne Cup.”
The last Herbert Power winner to win the Melbourne Cup was Rogan Josh in 1999, whilst Master O’Reilly in 2007 was the last to complete the Herbert Power-Caulfield Cup double.
