So You Are strengthens Melbourne Cup bid with Bendigo win
So You Are won the Bendigo Cup but needs handicappers to grant him a 1.5kg penalty to secure a Melbourne Cup spot.
The horse So You Are extended his winning run to four consecutive victories by winning the Bendigo Cup on Wednesday with Rachel King as his jockey. The five-year-old gelding won by half a length from second-place Berkeley Square.
Connections will share the $500,000 prize, but a much larger payday awaits if he secures a Melbourne Cup spot. Racing officials need to assign So You Are a 1.5kg penalty for him to crack the top 24 contenders on the Cup entry list.
If he doesn't get the penalty, he might still sneak in if other horses fail vet checks or owners withdraw. Trainer Bjorn Baker's assistant Luke Hilton said the longer 3200m Melbourne Cup distance should suit the horse.
"He's done everything he can to earn a spot," Hilton said. "He deserves to be there and hopefully that's enough to get him in."
- 4 consecutive victories
- Winning streak
- Half a length
- Winning margin
- $500,000
- Bendigo Cup prize
- 1.5kg
- Penalty required
Why it mattersThe Melbourne Cup is Australia's most prestigious horse race, and a Cup spot is worth far more than the Bendigo prize.
AustraliaIf So You Are makes the field, he'll run in Tuesday's Melbourne Cup at Flemington, Australia's most famous horse race.
✓ Claims checked against the source. checked 2 h ago
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