Star mare Verry Elleegant has been handed a 0.5kg weight penalty for the 2020 Melbourne Cup (3200m) after her victory in the 2020 Caulfield Cup (2400m) last Saturday.
The weight penalty means that she will line up in the Melbourne Cup at 55.5kg, on equal footing for a mare with Makybe Diva’s second Melbourne Cup victory in 2004.
Greg Carpenter, the Chief Handicapper at Racing Victoria, spoke about the decision:
‘’When we took into account her performance on Saturday, the relative weight to those placed behind her and her overall record, we felt that 0.5kg was the appropriate penalty which equates to a length over 3200 metres,’’ he said. ‘’She will now carry 55.5kg in the Melbourne Cup.
“Only one mare has carried more weight to victory in the Melbourne Cup which was Makybe Diva when she carried 58kg to her third win in 2005. She carried 55.5kg when winning her second Melbourne Cup – the task that has now been set for Verry Elleegant.
What a MARE!
Verry Elleegant is the Caulfield Cup hero for 2020! pic.twitter.com/Rl8Z6lzJtC
— 7HorseRacing 🐎 (@7horseracing) October 17, 2020
Prominent part-owner Brae Sokolski said that he had spoken with trainer Chris Waller following the weight penalty, and that the camp is pleased with the result and will press on to the 2020 Melbourne Cup.
‘’Chris is very happy with the way she came through it and he was happy for her to take that extra weight, so its on to the Melbourne Cup,’’ Sokolski said.
‘’She already had a decent weight but you can understand her getting a penalty because of the class of he field and the horse (Anthony Van Dyck) she beat.’’
Verry Elleegant is currently an $11 chance for the 2020 Melbourne Cup, behind favourite Tiger Moth ($6), Russian Camelot ($8), and Surprise Baby ($8).
