A field of 22 will run in Tuesday’s Melbourne Cup after Grahame Begg’s mare Lunar Flare failed a vet examination on race morning.
The seven-year-old daughter of 2013 Melbourne Cup winner Fiorente was inspected on Monday morning and found to be lame in her off fore leg.
Lunar Flare has been scratched from the Melbourne Cup.Credit:Getty Images
She underwent a second examination Tuesday morning, but Racing Victoria stewards determined she was not fit enough to run in the Cup.
“She improved markedly overnight, but, in their opinion, not enough,” Begg told Racing.com shortly after her scratching.
“To be truthful, we thought she was good enough to run. But it’s the Melbourne Cup and they [officials] are under pressure, and they want horses to be absolutely perfect.
“I can understand that, but there will be other horses going to the races today that will trot out a lot worse than her.”
The Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained Interpretation also underwent a last-ditch veterinary inspection on Tuesday morning after he was discovered to be lame in the near fore and off hind on Monday morning. But stewards passed Interpretation fit to start in today’s Cup.
Maher said at Monday’s Melbourne Cup parade that he was confident all would be right with Interpretation.
“He just had a nail in the wrong spot, and we took the shoe off and addressed the problem. It is back on now and looks fine. It is up to what they think in the morning,” Maher said.
“When you have got five [runners] in the Cup you are bound to have a problem.”
Lunar Flare’s scratching leaves the Melbourne Cup with a field of 22. Begg had never had a Melbourne Cup runner and was looking forward to running Lunar Flare, who had won the Bart Cummings and finished second in the Moonee Valley Gold Cup in the lead-up to Tuesday’s race.
She was a $21 contender before her scratching, which left Michael Dee without a ride in the Cup. Dee has been in terrific form this spring, winning the Caulfield Cup on Durston and the VRC Derby on Manzoice.
Deauville Legend remains the firm favourite at $3.50 with the TAB, from Montefilia and Without A Fight at $11.
The track improved into the soft 5 range Tuesday morning, but rain is forecast during the race meeting.
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