Leica Ding penalised
22/10/2009 1:38 PM
Geelong Cup winner Leica Ding has been penalised 0.5 kg for the Melbourne Cup.
Racing Victoria Ltd (RVL) Chief Handicapper, Greg Carpenter, announced the penalty following her win in the Group 3 $200,000 Geelong Cup on Wednesday.
The penalty takes the Darren Weir-trained mare to 50.5kg in the Melbourne Cup and lifts her from 67th to 31st in the order of entry for Flemington's 3 November feature.
"The Geelong Cup was a genuinely run race on quick ground and Leica Ding gave a strong staying performance to beat a very competitive field," Carpenter said in issuing the penalty.
"In recent years, the Geelong Cup has proven a strong form race with last year's winner Bauer going on to finish a narrow second to Viewed in the Melbourne Cup. Bauer was penalised 1kg for his win at Geelong and moved to 32nd in the elimination order following the win."
The Geelong Cup runner-up, the Bart Cummings-trained Dandaad, has passed the ballot requirement for the Melbourne Cup and moved from 66th to 54th in the order entry with its second placing.
2009 Perth Cup winner Guyno bled during the running of the Geelong Cup and was officially withdrawn from the Melbourne Cup on Thursday.
Third declarations for the Emirates Melbourne Cup close at 10am on Monday, 26 October.