The Joseph O’Brien’s trained Valiant King will face a secondary veterinary examination on Saturday morning to determine his eligibility for acceptance in the $8.4 million Melbourne Cup scheduled for Tuesday. Although the sixth-place finisher in the Caulfield Cup underwent examination alongside six other horses on Friday, Valiant King was found to be suffering from lameness in his left front foot.
Valiant King, a son of Roaring Lion and co-owned by Ozzie Kheir and Qatar Bloodstock, has had just eight starts. Zac Lloyd is booked to ride with a weight of 50 kilograms. Joseph O’Brien, who also has Okita Soushi entered in the race, seeks his third Melbourne Cup win, following the successes of Rekindling in 2017 and Twilight Payment in 2020. Valiant King is currently rated as a $26 chance by Ladbrokes.
Meanwhile, Sheraz, the Chris Waller-trained galloper, has been cleared to accept for the Melbourne Cup 2023, as veterinarians noted a subsiding of the heat in his leg, which had raised concerns during the initial examination on Thursday. All 24 Melbourne Cup acceptors will undergo a further veterinary examination on Monday to ensure their fitness for the race.
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