Aidan O’Brien disaster: Melbourne Cup favorite Jan Brueghel pulls out of £4m race after failing vet test

Aidan O’Brien’s undefeated Jan Brueghel has been ruled out of the £4 million Melbourne Cup – after he failed veterinary checks, causing anger and bewilderment among acquaintances.

The St Leger winner was long favorite for Australia’s flagship race next Tuesday but will no longer be able to race after a CT scan.

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A steward’s report released by Racing Victoria, Victoria’s racing governing body, said there was an “increased risk of injury” but did not elaborate further.

The scan is believed to have been carried out on Saturday after the colt worked at Werribee, where overseas runners are based.

O’Brien has never had success in racing and hasn’t even had a runner since 2020, when Tiger Moth agonizingly missed out on Twilight Payment, a horse trained by his son Joseph O’Brien.

But hopes were high this year and Willie Mullins, whose Vauban is racing for the second year in a row, named his compatriot’s runner as the winner.

Coolmore Australian team principal Tom Magnier said: “We have learned that Jan Brueghel will not take his place in the Melbourne Cup this year.

“He went through all the protocols in Ireland before he left. The guys were very happy with the horse and it was jumping up and down in quarantine, but the vets decided that it did not pass the test for racing.

“I’m extremely disappointed with the whole team who worked so hard to get him here.

“They were really excited about it, but at the end of the day the horse comes first and Racing Victoria’s decision was made. Aidan will talk to the boys about what’s next but we’re just really disappointed.”

O’Brien has previously criticized overly strict pre-race testing of international runners, calling the protocols “ridiculous”.

In September, ahead of testing carried out before international runners taking part in the race were quarantined, O’Brien said: “The Australians will be coming to test them in the next few days.

“They are all being scanned and then tested soon, but very few horses meet the criteria, especially young horses.

“It’s very difficult for three-year-olds to go through this because they’re still growing and their bones are still maturing, so I’m not sure any of them will come in and be allowed to run around.

“It’s really funny.

“Because they are three years old, they are not as mature as older horses and some things will show up on their scans, but they are not prepared to forgive anything.

“The same horse that scans incorrectly this year may scan perfectly next year because he is only three years old and has yet to fully develop.

“But we’re just guests there in Australia and we play by their rules, and that’s the way it is.”

With Jan Brueghel ruled out, Buckaroo made it 7-2 and Newcastle coach Brian Ellison’s Onesmoothoperator 5 seconds.

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