LLOYD Williams has declared the chances of his stayer Latrobe coming for the Melbourne Cup are up in the air despite his impressive second in the Irish St Leger (2800m).

Williams’ hopes of lifting a record seventh Melbourne Cup with Latrobe hang in the balance because of a transport and quarantine logjam.

Williams said Latrobe’s Melbourne trip was dependent on whether his stablemate Master Of Reality, also trained by Joseph O’Brien, could accompany him to Australia

But Williams said it seemed unlikely there would be room on a plane or in quarantine for Master Of Reality and if that’s the case he won’t be coming.

“Hopefully Latrobe can come to Melbourne but at the moment there doesn’t seem there is room on the pane and in quarantine for his partner Master of Reality – without his partner he can’t travel,” Williams said.

Master Of Reality finished fifth last start in a field of six behind Rostropovich at Leopardstown in a Group 3 2400m race also on Sunday night.

Williams said if Latrobe stayed in Ireland he would be set for the Prix de L’Arc de Triomphe or the British Champions Stakes at Ascot.

Latrobe finished second in the Irish St Leger (2800m) behind fellow Cup entrant Flag Of Honour at the Curragh.

Trained by Joseph O’Brien, Latrobe impressed with his tenacity against the more seasoned Flag Of Honour, prepared by Aidan O’Brien.

While Joseph O’Brien will investigate transport logistics for Latrobe and Master Of Reality, his father is considering a Flemington tilt with Flag Of Honour.

“He has an entry in the Melbourne Cup, but I’ll have to talk to the lads and see what they’d like to do,” Aidan O’Brien said.

“He has enough class for a mile-and-a-half (2400m) but he gets this extended trip well. He’s progressing all the time and is really going the right way and Ryan (Moore) felt he quickened well.

“The way he picked up there you wouldn’t say that he’d have to step to extreme trips. He’s having a busy time so we’ll have to see whether he runs again this year.”

Flag Of Honour and Kew Gardens, winner of Saturday’s St Leger at Doncaster, are now both TAB $17 chances for the Melbourne Cup.

Latrobe, bidding to emulate the feats of Rekindling, is a $26 shot with TAB.

Meanwhile, Racing Victoria’s chief handicapper Greg Carpenter issued weight penalties in the Melbourne Cup (3200m) for O’Brien’s pair Kew Gardens and Flag Of Honour and the Willie Mullins-trained Thomas Hobson.

Kew Gardens was given a 1kg penalty, taking him to 54kg, after his win in the Group 1 English St Leger (2900m) at Doncaster (UK) on Saturday.

As a result, the northern hemisphere three-year-old has moved to the top of the order of entry for the $7.3 million Melbourne Cup.

Flag Of Honour was given penalty of 1.5kg after leading all-the-way to record a comfortable victory in the Group 1 Irish St Leger (2800m) at The Curragh (IRE).

This takes the northern hemisphere three-year-old to 52.5kg and seventh in the order of entry jumping.

The Willie Mullins-trained Thomas Hobson, who ran sixth in last year’s Melbourne Cup, was penalised 1kg taking the gelding to 53kg and 54th position – up from 71st - in the order of entry after he took home the Group 2 Doncaster Cup (3600m) in the UK on Friday.