Leading Melbourne Cup contender Onesmoothoperator has failed a vet test, while Racing Victoria has also revealed Mission Of Love will not be progressing to the $8 million race on Tuesday.
After winning the Geelong Cup just last week (Wednesday, October 23), Onesmoothoperator — with superstar jockey Craig Williams on board — was considered the third favourite for the 3200m race.
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But now the UK import has failed a vet test due to a heel injury.
“RV vets today inspected Onesmoothoperator who has sustained a cut to its right hind heel bulb,” RV Stewards said on Friday.
“The horse was not passed at this time. He will be re-inspected tomorrow (Saturday) after being re-shod.”
The Ciaron Maher-trained Interpretation is also under the microscope after it was inspected on Thursday and “not passed suitable”.
Vets said there was a “a change in the horse’s gait” and it now faced re-examination today (Friday, November 1).
A total of 16 horses were inspected on Thursday and passed suitable on their first pre-race physical examination: Buckaroo, Circle of Fire, Fancy Man, Francesco Guardi, Just Fine, Kovalica, Land Legend, Maharajaan, Manzoice, Mostly Cloudy, Okita Soushi, Positivity, Saint George, Sharp ‘n’ Smart, Valiant King and Zardozi.
But there has already been controversy around the vet tests with unbeaten Irish three-year-old Jan Brueghel ruled out of the race, and Busuttin Racing’s Muramasa and Brayden Star also declared “unsuitable to compete” after their scans.
Both trainers expressed their disappointment with the ruling and both said they believed their horses were in good order.
Leading Irish trainer Aidan O’Brien’s said most scans were just an “opinion” and his vets had a differing view of Jan Brueghel.
Busuttin Racing said they were “very disappointed” with the call on Brayden Star “as our horse has never been so outwardly happy, healthy and in great form”.
Mission Of Love is trained John Symons and Sheila Laxon on the Sunshine Coast.
More to come …