Descarado is out of Saturday’s $3 million Cox Plate at Moonee Valley, paving the way for emergency Avienus to gain a start.
The Caulfield Stakes winner had been under an injury cloud since Tuesday when he didn’t work at Breakfast With The Stars due to swelling in a leg.
Trainer Gai Waterhouse remained optimistic of getting him to the Cox Plate but on Thursday she advised Racing Victoria stewards that she had lost the battle.
“The stable just advised us that they will be supplying a veterinary certificate to say that the horse isn’t fit to run on Saturday, so at least everyone knows where they are heading now,” Racing Victoria’s chief steward Terry Bailey said on Sydney’s Sky Sports radio on Thursday.
With Descarado ruled out, the Mark Webb-trained emergency Avienus, runner-up to Descarado in the Caulfield Stakes, will gain a start.
