The Melbourne Cup dream is over for connections of defending champion Protectionist and Let’s Make Adeal with injuries ruling the pair out of the race.
Protectionist has succumbed to bone bruising following his unplaced performance in the Caulfield Cup while Let’s Make Adeal appears to have run her last race.
The mare’s trainer Nigel Blackiston noticed heat in her off-fore tendon after trackwork on Thursday and scans have confirmed a tear.
Blackiston said his preference was to see the six-year-old head to the breeding barn.
Let’s Make Adeal is a granddaughter of 1991 Melbourne Cup winner Let’s Elope and connections had been striving to get Let’s Make Adeal into a Melbourne Cup.
They achieved that with her win in The Bart Cummings which earned her a ballot exemption for the Cup but it wasn’t to be.
“Everything was just falling into place and it’s just very sad that we haven’t been able to get to the big one,” Blackiston told RSN radio.
Scintigraphy tests this week confirmed Protectionist had severe bone bruising to all four fetlocks and required at least six months paddock rest.
With the withdrawal of Let’s Make Adeal and Protectionist, Almoonqith has moved closer to a Melbourne Cup start.
The horse on Thursday received a 1kg penalty for his Geelong Cup win, elevating him to 27th in the ballot order with 53kg.
The Melbourne Cup is limited to 24 runners with the next round of declarations on Monday.
