Gai Waterhouse’s impressive five-year-old Herculian Prince has been handed down a hefty two-kilogram penalty for its win in the Group 1 The Metropolitan (2400m) at Randwick on Saturday improving its chances of making the final fields for the 2010 Caulfield Cup and 2010 Melbourne Cup.

The weight increase to 53.5kg, plus the release of the 2010 Caulfield Cup third declarations today has lifted Herculian Prince from 36^th to equal 19^th on the order of entry for the $2.5 million Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2400m) to be held on October 16.

The improving Yamanin gelding has also sharply risen from 84^th in the Melbourne Cup ballot order up to 29^th after the penalty and the release of the 2010 Melbourne Cup third declarations.

Following Herculian Prince’s leapfrogging in the elimination orders of the two spring Cups, premier online bookmaker Sportsbet have slashed the odds on him.

Herculian Prince is now the $10 second favourite behind Metal Bender to win the Caulfield Cup, while Sportsbet are paying $21 for Herculian Prince in their Melbourne Cup betting markets.

The two-kilogram penalty, awarded by the VRC’s Chief Handicapper Greg Carpenter, is the same the 2009 The Metropolitan winner Speed Gifted was issued last year.

“Herculian Prince produced an outstanding run to decisively win the Metropolitan Handicap and the penalty is the same as that issued to Speed Gifted, who was equally dominant in winning the race in 2009,” Carpenter said.

Another big mover in the Caulfield Cup order of entry is the Lloyd Williams-owned C’est La Guerre.

The 2008 Melbourne Cup third placegetter passed the first ballot clause for the Caulfield Cup following the six-year-old’s win in the Group 3 Craven Plate (2000m) at Randwick, moving from 54^th into equal 10^th.

Sportsbet are paying $26 for C’est La Guerre to win the Caulfield Cup.

In other Caulfield Cup news, Kiwi galloper Harris Tweed was not issued a penalty by Carpenter for its win in the Listed The Bart Cummings (2500m) at Flemington on Sunday.

The Murray and Bjorn Baker-trained Harris Tweed is allocated to carry 54kg in both the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups, already a assured of a spot sitting equal 10^th in the Caulfield Cup order of entry and 17^th in the Melbourne cup ballot.

Harris Tweed is currently a $51 chance in the Caulfield Cup, with connections still undecided whether to start the five-year-old in the race, but is at a shorter quote of $26 for the Melbourne Cup.

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