The Chosen One rehandicapped half a kilogram for Melbourne Cup

SYDNEY: Herbert Power Stakes winner The Chosen One has been given a halfkilogram Melbourne Cup penalty for his victory in the group 2 race.

The Murray Baker and Andrew Forsmantrained Southlandbred stayer also passed the first ballot clause with his 2400mwin and now has 52kg in the Melbourne Cup on November 5 and is No 37 in the order of entry.

Racing Victoria executive general manager racing, Greg Carpenter, announced the penalty yesterday.

‘‘In winning the group 2 Herbert Power, The Chosen One won exemption into the Caulfield Cup, and under the conditions of that race could not be penalised and will run with 52kg,’’ Carpenter said.

‘‘The Chosen One was, however, eligible to be penalised for the Melbourne Cup and it was appropriate to acknowledge he is a quality 4yrold with an emerging form line.

‘‘While he already meets most rivals from Saturday on worse weight terms in the Melbourne Cup, he was strong at the end of the contest on Saturday, so the decision was made to issue a 0.5kg penalty to amend his Melbourne Cup weight to 52kg.’’

The Chosen One is an $A11 chance in the Caulfield Cup and $26 in the Melbourne Cup. Former South African galloper Yulong Prince and Japanesebred Wolfe are making a lastditch effort to force their way into the Caulfield Cup.

Tomorrow’s group 3 Coongy Cup (2000m) offers the winner a ballot exemption into Saturday’s $5 million showpiece.

Of the 13 runners accepted for the Coongy feature, Yulong Prince, to be ridden by Mark Zahra, and Wolfe, with Linda Meech aboard, are the only two aiming at a Caulfield Cup start.

Both need to win to get into the final field of 18 plus four emergencies.

Yulong Prince is yet to pass the first ballot clause while Wolfe is No 41 in the entry order.

Final acceptances for the Caulfield Cup will be takentomorrow afternoon and the barrier draw made tomorrow night.

Yulong Prince has had three starts since joining Chris Waller and was a laststart eighth behind Black Heart Bart in the Underwood Stakes at Caulfield on September 29.

Wolfe is a fivetime winner from nine starts for Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott and was last successful on the innertrack over 1800m at Randwick in August.

The stayer attempted to earn a Melbourne Cup berth at his most recent outing when third behind Surprise Baby in The Bart Cummings at Flemington on October 5. — AAP