City Of Troy’s date with destiny in Saturday night’s Breeders’ Cup is Aidan O’Brien’s overwhelming focus right now but an unwanted diversion is how the Irishman’s chequered relationship with the Melbourne Cup has come to the fore again.
Tuesday’s withdrawal by officials in Melbourne of O’Brien’s St Leger winner Jan Brueghel after failing a pre-race veterinary check has left the colt’s Coolmore ownership “extremely disappointed” and probably had the trainer shaking his head.
Those rigorous pre-race tests of international runners have previously been described as “ridiculous” by O’Brien, whose prediction that three-year-old horses would struggle to pass them looks to have come true.
Jan Brueghel, who had been a 5-1 favourite to win next Tuesday’s renewal of the ‘race that stops a nation’ passed initial inspections by Racing Victoria officials before entering quarantine last month.
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At the time O’Brien said: “It’s very difficult for three-year-olds to get through because they are still growing, and their bones are still maturing so I wouldn’t be sure about any of them getting in and being allowed to run.
“It’s ridiculous really. Because they are three-year-olds, they are not as formed as older horses, and there will be things that show up in their scans, but they are not prepared to forgive anything.”
A Racing Victoria statement on Tuesday morning said: “In accordance with the conditions of the race, Jan Brueghel was presented at the University of Melbourne Equine Centre in Werribee on Saturday, October 26th for compulsory CT scans of its distal limbs.
“Reports received from an expert panel of internationally renowned equine surgeons and diagnostic imaging specialists, who reviewed Jan Brueghel’s CT scan results, indicate that the horse is currently at heightened risk of injury.
“Following advice from RV Veterinary Services in relation to the specialist opinions from the independent imaging panel, RV Stewards ordered the withdrawal of Jan Brueghel from the Melbourne Cup on the basis that he was unsuitable to compete.”
O’Brien has twice finished runner-up in the Melbourne Cup, on both occasions beaten by his son Joseph, including on his last attempt in 2020 when Tiger Moth was second to Twilight Payment.
However, that same year saw his 2019 Epsom Derby hero Anthony Van Dyck break down with fatal injuries during the race. In 2018 his runner, Cliffs Of Moher, broke his shoulder in the race and had to be put down.
They were among a number of fatalities by overseas runners in a race that focuses attention on racing in Australia like no other, something that prompted local authorities to implement a more rigorous regime of pre-race veterinary testing.
“Everything was perfect with him, he went through all the hoops and scans. Our vets were happy, but the Australian vets were not happy with them,” said the Ballydoyle handler who is in Del Mar for the Breeders Cup.
“It’s easy to say now, but we thought he was a massive handicap blot as a classy, unbeaten horse with 8st 7lb to carry and Ryan Moore riding him. We will go for the race in Hong Kong now.
“Most scans are open to opinion, they gave him another in the last few days and found a shadow on the hind leg, but with all horses you can get shadows. Everything was properly done with the horse and it’s all getting a little bit ridiculous,” he added.
The Coolmore Australia boss Tom Magnier told local media: “He went through all of the protocols in Ireland before departing. The lads were very happy with the horse and he was bouncing in quarantine. But the vets have come up with the decision that he doesn’t pass the inspection to run.
“I’m extremely disappointed for all of the team who have put so much effort in getting him here. They really were excited about this, but at the end of the day the horse comes first and the decision by Racing Victoria has been made. Aidan will talk to the lads about what’s next, but we’re just very disappointed.”
O’Brien has enjoyed big-race success in Australia with Adelaide in the Cox Plate 10 years ago and Magic Wand in the 2019 Mackinnon Stakes.
However, he has not revisited the country since the 2008 Melbourne Cup when he was summoned back to the racecourse for a fraught stewards’ inquiry on the back of riding tactics employed on his runners in the race.
Jan Brueghel’s withdrawal leaves Irish hopes in next week’s $8 million highlight revolving around the Willie Mullins pair Vauban and Absurde.
