Point Of Law Melbourne Cup Weight: 2kg Penalty After Geelong Cup Win Lifts Him to 53kg
Updated on October 23, 2026.
Point Of Law will carry 53kg in the Melbourne Cup after Racing Victoria gave Ciaron Maher’s three-year-old a 2kg penalty on Thursday, Oct. 22. The Frankel colt was weighted on the 51kg minimum before he won the Group 3 Geelong Cup on Wednesday, Oct. 21. The win also earned him a ballot exemption for the $10.2 million race at Flemington on Tuesday, Nov. 3.
Quick summary
- Point Of Law won the Geelong Cup (2400 meters) by half a length from Small Fry, with Omni Man third.
- Racing Victoria raised his Melbourne Cup weight by 2kg, from 51kg to 53kg.
- Head of handicapping David Hegan said the colt can only be handicapped “on what he has done to date.”
- The win gave him a ballot exemption, so he skips the ballot for the Melbourne Cup on Nov. 3.
- He was bred by King Charles III and raced in England for John and Thady Gosden before joining Ciaron Maher.
How Point Of Law won the Geelong Cup
Point Of Law had only four starts behind him when he lined up at Geelong, all against horses his own age. It was his first run in Australia. His last start was the Group 3 Bahrain Trophy over 2600 meters at Newmarket in early July, according to Breednet.
He drew barrier 18 and was the least experienced runner in the race. Ethan Brown took him forward and sat outside the leader, The Euphrates. Point Of Law took over after the turn and held off Joseph O’Brien’s Small Fry by half a length. O’Brien’s Omni Man finished third. The time was 2:27.97 on a Good 4 track, according to Breednet.
“It’s the first time I’ve sat on him going to the gates and he was quite keen,” Brown said, according to Breednet. “From the wide gate it couldn’t have worked out any better.”
The colt now has three wins and a second from five starts, two of them stakes wins.
Point Of Law Melbourne Cup penalty: why the handicapper added 2kg
Racing Victoria’s David Hegan announced the penalty on Thursday. He said the nature of the win, against older horses with exposed form, called for “a meaningful weight reassessment” before the Melbourne Cup, according to The Straight. Hegan said Point Of Law’s “strong display of sustained on pace running left his rivals off the bit and chasing from the 600 metres,” according to Just Horse Racing.
“I can’t handicap Point Of Law on potential, only on what he has done to date,” Hegan said. “He may well improve off that run next time out, but only time will tell.”
Measured against his weight-for-age rating of 50.5kg, the rise is 2.5kg. Here is how his new mark compares, according to The Straight and Just Horse Racing:
Horse | Melbourne Cup weight or rating | Note |
|---|---|---|
Point Of Law (before) | 51kg | The race minimum |
Point Of Law (after) | 53kg | Rated the equal of an older horse on 56kg |
Enfjaar | Rated as an older horse on 56kg | Third in the Caulfield Cup |
James J Braddock | 53.5kg | 0.5kg more than Point Of Law |
A royal-bred colt for Ciaron Maher
Point Of Law’s breeding is part of what makes him one of the stories of the Spring Carnival. He is by Frankel out of Portfolio, a stakes-placed Deep Impact mare. King Charles III bred him, and his dam and granddam were both bred by the late Queen Elizabeth II, according to Breednet.
He raced in the royal colors for John and Thady Gosden before a private sale to Ciaron Maher Racing. The price was not disclosed.
The Geelong Cup placegetters are also in the Cup picture. Small Fry and Omni Man cleared the first elimination and sit 42nd and 44th in the order of entry, according to The Straight. Unlike Point Of Law, they don’t have a ballot exemption.
What it means for players in Australia
If you’re thinking about betting on the Cup, here are the rules.
In Australia, betting online on racing and sport is legal only with a bookmaker licensed by an Australian state or territory. You can check any site on the ACMA register. Since June 11, 2024, credit cards and crypto can’t be used to fund online betting accounts. In New South Wales, betting online on Australian races with an unlicensed bookmaker is an offense for the bettor too. If you want a break from betting, BetStop, the national self-exclusion register, blocks you from every licensed bookmaker at once. We don’t promote or link any sportsbook.
If you also play poker, the rules are different. The Interactive Gambling Act bans sites from offering online poker to Australians, but players aren’t penalized. Ignition is one of the international rooms that accept Australians, and like the others it is not licensed in Australia. Read our guide to online poker in Australia before you sign up anywhere.
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This article is for information only and is not legal advice.
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Frequently asked questions
What weight will Point Of Law carry in the Melbourne Cup?
Point Of Law will carry 53kg. He was weighted on the 51kg minimum, and Racing Victoria added a 2kg penalty on Thursday, Oct. 22, after his Geelong Cup win.
Why did Point Of Law get a Melbourne Cup penalty?
Racing Victoria head of handicapping David Hegan said the colt's strong win against older horses with exposed form called for a meaningful reassessment. He added that he can only handicap the horse on what he has done, not on potential.
When is the 2026 Melbourne Cup?
The Melbourne Cup is run on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026, over 3200 meters at Flemington, with $10.2 million in prize money. Point Of Law has a ballot exemption from his Geelong Cup win, so he skips the ballot that decides the rest of the field.
Who trains and rides Point Of Law?
Ciaron Maher trains Point Of Law, and Ethan Brown rode him in the Geelong Cup. The colt was bred by King Charles III and raced for John and Thady Gosden in England before a private sale to Ciaron Maher Racing.
Can Australians bet on the Melbourne Cup online?
Only with a bookmaker licensed by an Australian state or territory. You can check any site on the ACMA register, and credit cards and crypto can't be used to fund online betting accounts.
Sources
- The Straight: Point Of Law gets 2kg Melbourne Cup penalty
- Just Horse Racing: Geelong Cup winner cops 2kg Melbourne Cup whack
- Breednet: Melbourne Cup next for royally bred Frankel colt Point of Law
- ACMA: Check if a gambling operator is legal
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