Melbourne Cup bombshell as former favourite Defiantly ruled out by vets

Former Melbourne Cup favourite Defiantly has been ruled out after failing a veterinary inspection, while Wine Dark Sea and Enfjaar have been cleared to run.

One-time Melbourne Cup favourite Defiantly has been ruled out of contesting the Melbourne Cup.

A panel of Racing Victoria veterinarians inspected Defiantly, Wine Dark Sea and Enfjaar on Saturday morning after those three horses were deemed unsuitable to accept for the Melbourne Cup (3200m) following an examination on Thursday.

Vets had noticed changes in the gait of the three horses with each required to undergo another examination on Saturday morning to be cleared to accept for Tuesday’s Melbourne Cup ahead of final declarations at 4.30pm on Saturday.

While Wine Dark Sea and Enfjaar were given the all-clear, Defiantly did not pass and remains unsuitable to accept with RV stewards ordering the stayers withdrawal from the Melbourne Cup on veterinary advice.

Small Fry, who was 33rd in the Melbourne Cup Order of Entry, was also deemed unsuitable to accept for the Melbourne Cup and has been ruled out of the remainder of the Melbourne Spring Carnival.

Following the withdrawal of Defiantly, his Joseph O’Brien-trained stablemate Kizlyar moves into the Cup field with the Chris Waller-trained Pinhole and stablemate Valiant King numbers 25 and 26 in the Order of Entry.