Gai Waterhouse-trained import Glencadam Gold has made another step towards a berth in the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups with a 1.5kg penalty incurred as a result of last week’s Newcastle Cup (2300m) victory.

Glencadam Gold is closer to a start in the Cups after a 1.5kg penalty. Photo by: Steve Hart

The four-year-old’s weight now stands at 51.5kg for both major staying races meaning he has moved from 113th to 57th in the Melbourne Cup order of entry and from 67th to 52nd for the Caulfield Cup.

Still lightly raced, Glencadam Gold is unbeaten from three starts since arriving in Australia including a dominant start-to-finish performance in Thursday’s Newcastle feature.

Racing Victoria chief handicapper Greg Carpenter pointed to the strength of the wins in both the Newcastle Cup and his previous start in the Premier’s Cup as reasons for the penalty.

“Glencadam Gold is a progressive stayer who is now unbeaten in three Australian starts,” Carpenter said on the Racing Victoria website.

“His win in the Premier’s Cup prior to the weights being released has been enhanced by the subsequent form of Stout Hearted and he was able to carry top weight, lead and dictate the speed in the Newcastle Cup when winning easily.”

The win in Newcastle has also seen Glencadam Gold installed on the second line of betting at $7.00 for the Group 1 Metropolitan (2400m) at Randwick on October 6 behind Saturday’s Hill Stakes winner Lamasery ($4.40).

Five-year-old gelding Folding Gear attracted a 1kg penalty for his win in Saturday’s Group 3 Naturalism Stakes (2000m) which also saw him receive ballot exemption for the Caulfield Cup.

Trained by Lee and Shannon Hope in Seymour, Folding Gear is not entered for the Melbourne Cup and now has 52kg for the Caulfield Cup.

“Folding Gear has an outstanding record at Caulfield having won the Group 2 Autumn Classic (1800m) as a three-year-old, the Group 3 Easter Cup (2000m) as a four-year-old and now the Group 3 Naturalism Stakes as a five-year-old against a very competitive field,” Carpenter said.