Cup penalties for three internationals
Three recent winners in the northern hemisphere have been given weight penalties for the Melbourne Cup.
The Aidan O’Brien-trained Kew Gardens has been penalised 1kg for his win in the Group One English St Leger at Doncaster over the weekend, taking the northern-hemisphere three-year-old to 54kg and also top of the order of entry.
Kew Gardens’ stablemate Flag Of Honour has incurred a 1.5kg penalty for his Irish St Leger win at The Curragh, taking his Melbourne Cup weight to 52.5kg.
Also a northern hemisphere three-year-old, Flag Of Honour has moved from 25th to seventh in the Melbourne Cup ballot order.
The Willie Mullins-trained Thomas Hobson won the Group Two Doncaster Cup on Friday and his 1kg penalty takes him to 53kg and moves him from 71st to 54th in the Melbourne Cup ballot.
Thomas Hobson finished sixth in last year’s Cup.
The winner of Saturday’s Naturalism Stakes (2000m) at Caulfield carries a ballot exemption for this year’s Caulfield Cup (2400m).
The Naturalism has attracted 31 nominations with a field limit of 16 plus four emergencies.
The Darren Weir-trained Night’s Watch is 20th in the ballot order for the Naturalism and was the $5 favourite in an all-in market on Monday.
Night’s Watch is equal 78th in the latest Caulfield Cup ballot order.
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