Sportz - I assume it was this year, if not then last year, but the balloting conditions are:

The following horses, if any should be a final acceptor for the 2005 Emirates Melbourne Cup, shall be exempt from any ballot on this race:
- 2005 VRC Saab Quality winner,
- 2005 Doncaster Cup (UK) winner,
- 2005 Irish St Leger (IRE) winner,
- 2005 Sankei Sho All Comers (JPN) winner,
- 2005 MVRC Cox Plate winner.

The other thing that has changed is in regard to penalties, whereby horses winning WFA, Set Weights or Set Weight & Penaties can now be given a weight penalty. That never used to be case either.

PENALTIES
The winner, after declaration of weights, of
- any handicap flat race of the advertised value of $60,000 or over to the winner, (2005 VRC Saab Quality excepted) or
- any flat race run over a distance of 2300 metres or further of the advertised value of $60,000 or over to the winner, (2005 VRC Saab Quality excepted) to carry such additional weight (if any) for each win as the Handicapper shall determine, (not exceeding in the aggregate 4½ kgs).