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One in, one out of Melbourne Cup field

29 October 2026 • Written by Racing & Sports, Craig Brennan

A one-kilogram penalty for in form stayer So You Are after his win in the Bendigo Cup is enough to secure the Bjorn Baker-trained galloper a start in the Melbourne Cup.

So You Are is now number 24 in the Order of Entry for the Cup and has got there following the withdrawal of Saint George on Thursday morning. 

Had Saint George not been withdrawn, So You Are would have been left at number 25 in the Order of Entry. 

Sea King (2024) and Sayedaty Sadaty (2025) were each rehandicapped 0.5kg for their Bendigo Cup wins while Racing Victoria head of handicapping David Hegan said the last time a 1kg rehandicap was issued was back in 2011 to Tanby. 

Thursday's announcement of a rehandicap was the third in total for So You Are since handicaps were released last month. 

In total So You Are has received 2kg and will now carry 54kg in the Lexus Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington on Tuesday. 

"Yesterday's win, based on weights and the quality of opposition, was the best of So You Are's recent victories, carrying 58.5kg and proving too strong for all rivals," Hegan said. 

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While connections of So You Are received good news that their stayer was now in the Cup, it was not so good for the connections of the Ciaron Maher-trained Saint George. 

The Caulfield Cup runner-up has been ruled out following CT and PET scans during the week. 

Following review by an independent panel of diagnostic imaging specialist, the CT scans revealed Saint George was at a heightened risk of injury after which the Maher stable was offered the opportunity of a Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scan which was done on Wednesday. 

On review the panel remained of the view Saint George was at a heightened risk of injury. 

Not only has Saint George been ruled out of the Lexus Melbourne Cup, but he has been ruled out of the remainder of the Spring Racing Carnival. 

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