Win comes at Cup cost

RULING favourite Avilius has been penalised 1.5kg for the $7.5 million Melbourne Cup after a narrow victory in The Bart Cummings.

Racing Victoria’s Greg Carpenter said the lightly raced import’s progress since Cup weights were first issued meant Avilius deserved to be rehandicapped from 53kg to 54.5kg

“Avilius is unbeaten in his four runs in Australia and has now won the Kingston Town and Bart Cummings Stakes since the original handicaps were released,” Carpenter said.

“And the 1.5kg penalty acknowledges the progression of his form since he was allocated 53kg.

“His hard-fought win over Jaameh on Saturday was impressive given he carried topweight of 58.5kg, conceding 4.5kg to the placed horses.”