Tullamore looks a good chance to make the Melbourne Cup field
Wednesday’s Bendigo Cup winner Tanby will struggle to get a run in the $6m Group 1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) after receiving just a 1kg penalty for the win.
Racing Victoria handicapper Greg Carpenter said Tanby was an emerging talent but didn’t warrant any more than the penalty given.
“He goes from 50kg to 51kg and goes from 38th to 32nd on the Melbourne Cup order of entry,” Carpenter said.
“His form has been progressive having run second to Shewan in the Herbert Power and Dunaden in the Geelong Cup and he was quite impressive in the Bendigo Cup.
“The kilo reflects his form and weights and measures in those starts.
“He met Shewan in the Herbert Power at level weights and was narrowly beaten by him there so the kilo penalty puts him within half a kilo of Shewan’s Melbourne Cup weight.
“I don’t think I was in the position to penalize him more.”
While Tanby now looks as though he will miss a Melbourne Cup start, the news for Moonee Valley Cup runner up Tullamore is better.
The Gai Waterhouse-trained gelding is 25th in the Cup order but the Luca Cumani yard have indicated they will scratch Sahara Sun who is 24th.
As long as nothing jumps into the field via the Lexus Stakes or Mackinnon Stakes on Saturday at Flemington, Tullamore will get a run.
The 1998 Melbourne Cup winning hoop Chris Munce has been engaged for Tullamore who has the same connections as Descardo – the partnership won the 2010 Caulfield Cup.
