Herbert Power victory gives Irish star a Melbourne Cup sheen Yucatan’s speedy ascent
YUCATAN has been provisionally elevated into next month’s Melbourne Cup after receiving a 2.5kg penalty with the possibility of a second re- handicap if he wins Saturday’s $ 5 million Caulfield Cup.
Originally 55th in the Melbourne Cup order of entry with 52kg, Yucatan has now climbed to No. 24 after Racing Victoria’s Greg Carpenter’s deemed the Irish star’s Herbert Power Stakes romp deserved a significant adjustment.
“Yucatan’s win on Saturday was incredibly impressive, and was a significant step up on his previous form in Europe this year,” Carpenter said.
“While the official winning margin on Saturday was 1.25 lengths, he was more than six lengths in front at the 100m mark before his jockey James McDonald eased him down.
“Yucatan will meet significantly stronger opposition in the Lexus Melbourne Cup, but the absolute dominance of his Herbert Power win demands a significant penalty and as a consequence he has been given 2.5kg and now has 54.5kg.”
The largest penalty given to previous winners of the Herbert Power was 2kg to Amralah in 2015 and Big Memory in 2014. Neither ran in the Melbourne Cup.
Yucatan could earn an additional Melbourne Cup penalty if he lands owner Lloyd Williams a second Caulfield Cup on Saturday.
Williams indicated the raider is an 80 per cent chance of returning to Caulfield, scene of his devastating Herbert Power Stakes demolition last Saturday.
If trainer Aidan O’Brien and Williams agree to back up Yucatan, he will be ridden in the Cup by Michael Walker with only 52kg.
With Herbert Power victory, the Irish star is exempt from Caulfield Cup ballot.
Yucatan ($ 7) is now third favourite for the Saturday’s Cup behind Youngstar ($ 5) and Kings Will Dream ($ 6).
O’Brien could have a powerful hand in the Cup if both Yucatan and The Cliffsofmoher ($ 9), an eye- catching Caulfield Stakes fourth, both return to Caulfield.
With a limit of 24 runners in the Melbourne Cup, Yucatan could be displaced by the winner of the Lexus Stakes on Derby Day.
Williams is likely to have four Caulfield Cup runners on Saturday – Yucatan, The Cliffsofmoher ( Hugh Bowman), Homesman ( Ben Melham) and The Taj Mahal ( McDonald).