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Irish St Leger winner Collier Hill has been penalised 1.5kg for the Melbourne Cup at Flemington on November 1.

Racing Victoria handicapper Greg Carpenter announced the penalty today after conferring with handicappers in the UK and Ireland.

Carpenter had the opportunity to penalise Collier Hill as a result of the change of conditions for the Cup the gave him the power to re-handicap the Irish St Leger winner for the first time.

Collier Hill defeated four-time Irish St Leger winner Vinnie Roe, fourth and second in the his two previous Melbourne Cups, at level weights by one length at level weights in last Saturday's St Leger at the Curragh.

The penalty takes Collier Hill's Melbourne Cup weight to 56.5kg but he will still meet Vinnie Roe on 1.5kg better terms at Flemington.

The St Leger win has catapulted Collier Hill past all other nominations in the ballot order for the Melbourne Cup as he becomes the first horse exempt from the ballot.

The Bart Cummings-trained High Cee, who won the Group 3 Newcastle Cup (2300m) on Thursday, was not penalised for the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups but has passed the ballot clause for both races,

Meanwhile the Gai Waterhouse stable has confirmed that she will keep Mr Celebrity in Sydney for a start in Saturday's Group One George Main Stakes at Randwick.

Mr Celebrity had been nominated for the JRA Cup at Mooney Valley on Friday night but Waterhouse has decided he will run in the George Main before further spring plans are mapped out for him.

At this stage it is likely he will go to Melboiurne after Saturday to prepare for the Caulfield Cup.

Waterhouse also has Dance Hero nominated for the George Main but may prefer to run him in an 800m barrier trial at Warwick Farm on Friday.

Waterhouse's Epsom Handicap entry Flaming will need to win the Bill Ritchie Quality at Randwick on Saturday if he is to join Desert War and Lotteria as her runners in the G1 event at Randwick on Saturday week.