Group 1 St Leger winner Jan Brueghel has been ruled out of the Melbourne Cup due to an unsatisfactory vet scan…
The Aidan O'Brien-trained Classic winner has been withdrawn following the results of the Racing Victoria veterinary scan.
In a statement, Racing Victoria said: "Reports received from an expert panel of internationally-renowned equine surgeons and diagnostic imaging specialists, who reviewed Jan Brueghel's CT scan results, indicate that the horse is currently at heightened risk of injury.
"Following advice from RV Veterinary Services in relation to the specialist opinions from the independent imaging panel, RV Stewards ordered the withdrawal of Jan Brueghel from the Melbourne Cup on the basis that he was unsuitable to compete."
Jan Brueghel, who took his record to four-from-four with his triumph in the Group 1 St Leger Stakes at Doncaster, was a general 5/1 second favourite for the Melbourne Cup prior to his scratching.
Jan Brueghel satisfied RV's veterinary requirements prior to leaving for Australia and his withdrawal means he won't be given the chance to try and earn Aidan O'Brien his first Melbourne Cup.
"Obviously Jan Brueghel went through all the tests when he was in Ireland, everything was OK, and he's down here and the lads have been very happy with him but at the end of the day Racing Victoria have the decision," Coolmore Australia boss Tom Magnier told RSN927.
"At Coolmore, everything is about the horse, we just want the horses to be OK but Racing Victoria have said that this horse has failed the pre-inspections, so he won't take part in the Melbourne Cup.
"This is the game that we're in, it's a game of highs and lows and you've got to be able to take the lows if you're going to enjoy the highs."
