So You Are handed Lexus Melbourne Cup penalty

So You Are has climbed inside the top 24 in the $10.2 million Lexus Melbourne Cup (3200m) order of entry after receiving a 1kg penalty for winning yesterday’s Group 3 Ladbrokes Bendigo Cup (2400m).

The penalty is the third time So You Are has been re-handicapped since the release of weights, having twice been penalised 0.5kg previously for his respective Group 3 wins in the Colin Stephen Quality (2400m) on 26 September and the ATC St Leger Stakes (2600m) on 17 October.

This takes the total cumulative penalty for the Bjorn Baker-trained stayer to 2kg since weights were issued, with So You Are now weighted at 54kg for the race that stops a nation on Tuesday, 3 November.

The 1kg penalty is the same afforded to 2011 Bendigo Cup winner Tanby who progressed up the order of entry to 32nd, but ultimately missed a start in the Melbourne Cup. 

The past two Bendigo Cup winners, Sea King (2024) and Sayedaty Sadaty (2025), each received a 0.5kg reassessment, with the latter against the benchmark only with his true weight below the 51kg minimum prior to the race. No Bendigo Cup winner has received a penalty of greater than 1kg in the Melbourne Cup.

So You Are’s latest penalty, announced today by Racing Victoria Head of Handicapping David Hegan, moves the gelding from 28th to 24th in the Lexus Melbourne Cup order of entry, following today’s withdrawal of the Ciaron Maher-trained Saint George by order of the RV Stewards acting on specialist veterinary advice.

“Yesterday’s win, based on weights and the quality of opposition, was the best of So You Are’s recent victories, carrying 58.5kg and proving too strong for all rivals,” Hegan said.
 

“He is a difficult horse to assess, having been extremely well placed recently while not winning by extensive margins.

“However, based on his overall profile and handicap performance ratings that are benchmarked internationally, a 1kg penalty to 54kg is the appropriate re-assessment against his potential competitors on Tuesday when considering the raised weight scale in this year’s Lexus Melbourne Cup.”
 

Final Acceptances for the Lexus Melbourne Cup close at 4.30pm this Saturday, 31 October.

To view the updated Lexus Melbourne Cup order of entry, please click here.