The Bart Cummings-trained Precedence is still not assured of a Melbourne Cup start despite being penalised for winning the Group Two Moonee Valley Cup on Saturday.Racing Victoria handicapper Greg Carpenter announced a 1.5kg penalty for Precedence which has moved him from 39th to 29th in order of entry for the 24-horse Melbourne Cup field.Precedence will now carry 53.5kg if he gets a run in the 150th edition of the famous race after being given 50.5kg in original handicaps.The five-year-old also

The Bart Cummings-trained Precedence is still not assured of a Melbourne Cup start despite being penalised for winning the Group Two Moonee Valley Cup on Saturday.

Racing Victoria handicapper Greg Carpenter announced a 1.5kg penalty for Precedence which has moved him from 39th to 29th in order of entry for the 24-horse Melbourne Cup field.

Precedence will now carry 53.5kg if he gets a run in the 150th edition of the famous race after being given 50.5kg in original handicaps.

The five-year-old also received a 1.5kg penalty for winning the JRA Cup (2040m) at Moonee Valley three starts back.

Duncan Ramage, racing manager for part-owner Dato Tan Chin Nam, said Precedence's Melbourne Cup fate could rest with a start in the Lexus Stakes next week.

"If we're forced to run him we'll have to," he said.

Cummings said he would resist putting blinkers on the stayer.

"I think after today we'll scrap that idea," he said.

"He's not field shy, give him a bit of space and he's right."

Ridden by Blake Shinn, the heavily favourite Precedence ($2.05) was perfectly placed in fifth spot before kicking clear on the home turn and holding out imported stayer Above Average ($10) by three-quarters of a length with topweight Capecover ($15) 2-1/4 lengths away third.

Trainer Lee Freedman was disappointed Above Average didn't win as he's 40th in the order of entry into the Cup and won't get a run.

But he was delighted with the stayer's performance in blinkers for the first time.

"He tested him (Precedence) all the way to the line," he said.

"I'd love to get him into the Cup but he won't make the field. I'll probably run him in the Queen Elizabeth (Stakes) and try and get him into next year's Cup."

Jockey Damien Oliver described Above Average's run as "excellent".

Third placegetter Capecover, now 38th in the Cup order of entry, pleased trainer Patrick Payne and his jockey Steve Arnold.

"He ran really well and he hit the line strongly," Arnold said.