Last year’s Melbourne Cup winner Dunaden will carry 59 kilograms in this year’s race after being penalised one kilogram for his Caulfield Cup win.

Racing Victoria’s chief handicapper Greg Carpenter announced the penalty on Monday after Dunaden carried 58kg to a thrilling win in Saturday’s Caulfield Cup over 2400 metres.

No horse has carried 59kg or more to victory in the Melbourne Cup (3200m) since Rain Lover won the famous race in 1969 with the equivalent of 60.5kg (9st 7lb).

“Since the Cup went metric in 1972, only two horses – Think Big with 58-1/2 kilograms in 1975 and Makybe Diva in 2005 when she carried 58 kilos to victory – have been able to win the Melbourne Cup with more than 57 kilograms,” Carpenter said.

“So it’s a big challenge for him but he proved again on Saturday he’s one of the best stayers in the world, one of the best stayers we’ve seen to come Australia and I think even with the one kilo (penalty), which equates to about two lengths in distance, that he’s still going to be very hard to beat.”

Dunaden won the Melbourne Cup with 54.5kg last year.