The New Zealand contingent for Tuesday’s Group 1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) has been dealt a blow with the withdrawal of Mahrajaan on veterinary advice.
The Shaune Ritchie and Colm Murray-trained gelding earned his shot at the A$8.5 million showpiece with his victories in last season’s Group 2 Auckland Cup (3200m) and Group 3 New Zealand Cup (3200m), but Racing Victoria stewards have ruled him out after their independent imaging panel deemed the seven-year-old to be at heightened risk of injury.
“It’s obviously a big disappointment for us and the owners,” Ritchie said. “Who doesn’t want to have a runner in the Melbourne Cup? And we know our horse runs a strong two miles, so it’s a tough one to swallow.
“But we’re philosophical and we respect the vets’ decision. At the end of the day, we’re horse lovers first and we want our horse to be safe and healthy.
“I’ll go in on Monday and they’ll take me through the results of their imaging and the exact reasons for their decision. Apparently they detected a small issue in a sesamoid, which hasn’t been picked up in X-rays we’ve done on the horse in the past. Their imaging is very high-tech and thorough, so it’ll be a good opportunity for me to see all the bells and whistles that they’ve got. It’ll give me a better understanding so that if we come back next year, we’ll have a bit more information.
