KEY POINTS:
Racing Victoria handicapper Greg Carpenter said he would give plenty of thought before deciding on a Melbourne Cup penalty for Master O'Reilly.
Carpenter said he had already penalised the O'Reilly five-year-old 1.5kg in the Melbourne Cup for his win in the Group Two Winning Edge Presentations Stakes (2400m) at Caulfield a week ago.
"I will take into account the fact that the favourite Maldivian and Eskimo Queen, who was also well fancied in the betting, did not contest the race," Carpenter said.
Master O'Reilly is currently weighted to carry 51.5kg in the Melbourne Cup at Flemington on November 6.
He carried 50.5kg in the Caulfield Cup in which weights had to be raised 0.5kg.
Corporate bookmaker Eskander's Betstar has him as the new Melbourne Cup favourite at $5, firming from $9, ahead of the Luca Cumani-trained Purple Moon, who has come in from $15 to $6 after his sixth at Caulfield.
Latest market:
$5: Master O'Reilly.
$6: Purple Moon.
$7: Miss Finland.
$8: Princess Coup.
$9: Efficient.
$11: Blue Monday, Zipping.
$13: Maybe Better.
$15: Douro Valley, Mahler.
$21: Eskimo Queen, On A Jeune, Scorpion
$26 or better: the rest.
AAP
