Prince Of Arran is guaranteed a place in next month’s Lexus Melbourne Cup, after Racing Victoria confirmed a penalty for Charlie Fellowes’ big-race hope.
Victory in Wednesday’s Geelong Cup appeared to make it a formality that Prince Of Arran, third at Flemington last year, would incur a sufficient weight rise to take part again.
It was duly confirmed on Thursday morning that the six-year-old has been handed a one-kilo increment, taking him from his previous standing at 37 in the field up to 23 – with a maximum 24 allowed to race on November 5.
A tweet on Racing Victoria’s official account tagged its own chief handicapper Greg Carpenter, Newmarket trainer Fellowes and the yard’s Natasha Eaton – who is with Prince Of Arran in Australia.
It read: “It seems @FellowesRacing and @NeEaton have got their wish as @RVCarps has just announced that Prince of Arran has been penalised 1kg for his win in the Geelong Cup, taking him to 23rd in the #MelbourneCup”
