So You Are wins Bendigo Cup but Melbourne Cup berth remains uncertain
The gelding needs a 1.5kg handicap penalty to move into the top 24 in the Melbourne Cup entry order.
A fourth consecutive victory has strengthened So You Are’s Melbourne Cup bid, with the Bjorn Baker-trained gelding taking the Group 3 Bendigo Cup over 2400m. Handicappers will now help determine whether he gains a place at Flemington.
Rachel King rode the five-year-old to a half-length win over Berkeley Square in the A$500,000 race. Litzdeel finished third, ahead of favourite Kings Valley.
So You Are requires a 1.5kg penalty to reach the first 24 places in the Melbourne Cup entry order. Without it, he could still make the field if other horses fail veterinary inspections or their connections decide against accepting.
Baker’s assistant Luke Hilton said the gelding had improved throughout his campaign and benefited from starting in barrier one. He said the horse’s narrow winning margins could count against him when handicappers assessed a penalty. King also pointed to improvement across his recent starts.
At Flemington, Quick Finish is set to become the first filly to run in the Group 1 Victoria Derby since Lycra in 1990. The Yulong-owned runner, trained by Tony and Calvin McEvoy, is among 16 horses in the capacity field for the 2500m event, which carries increased prize money of A$3 million.
