Impressive Geelong Cup winner Emissary has moved up one spot in the ballot order for the Melbourne Cup after receiving a 0.5kg penalty for Wednesday’s victory.

Emissary is now number 29 in the Order of Entry into the Group 1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington on November 1 but remains outside the safety limit of 24 that is allowed to run.

The 0.5kg penalty is the same afforded recent Geelong Cup winners Vengeur Masque (2017) and Qewy (2016) while last year’s winner Tralee Rose did not receive a penalty.

As a result of Wednesday’s win in the Group 3 Geelong Cup (2400m), Emissary will now carry 51.5kg if he makes the Melbourne Cup final field.

Racing Victoria Head of Handicapping David Hegan said while Wednesday’s race was highly competitive, on ratings it was not as strong as recent editions.

“That was an important consideration for the panel when assessing whether Emissary should be penalised or not,” Hegan said.

Hegan noted the highest rated runner in Wednesday’s race was 99, whereas the past two editions have had seven horses rated 101 or higher and the 2019 edition, in which the winner Prince Of Arran was penalised 1kg, had 10 horses rated 103 or higher.

The other horse to make progression in the Melbourne Cup Order of Entry courtesy of the Geelong Cup was third placed Makram whose prizemoney boost has seen him rise from 36th to 33rd.

The next round of acceptance for the Melbourne Cup close on Monday with the final field to be announced on October 29.