English stayer Duretto has been ruled out of the Melbourne Cup with a stress fracture to his left foreleg.
The Andrew Balding-trained Duretto was lame after trackwork on Saturday and has undergone a wide range of veterinary tests.
The fracture was detected on Wednesday after a bone scan a day earlier failed to discover the injury.
Wednesday’s examination included nerve blocks and X-rays and Balding has formally withdrawn the horse.
Dwayne Dunn, who rode Duretto to fourth in the Caulfield Cup, is now without a 2018 Melbourne Cup ride.
Duretto was a $41 chance in Melbourne Cup odds.