Valiant King will not be among the final declarations for the Melbourne Cup, with the promising four year old withdrawn from the 3200m feature on Friday night.
The decision to withdraw Valiant King from the race was confirmed by part-owner Ozzie Kheir, marking the end of the horse’s spring campaign, after a gallant sixth on Australian debut in the Caulfield Cup.
Racing Victoria veterinarians had identified him as being lame during a recent inspection. Despite having until Saturday morning to assess the horse’s condition, Kheir made the proactive choice to withdraw Valiant King from the Melbourne Cup.
“After this morning’s RV inspections where Valiant King was found to be mildly lame post his work, we had our own vets this evening come back and inspect him and agree with RV’s assessment as he remained slightly lame in the front left fore,” Kheir said.
Valiant King remained in the markets for the Melbourne Cup up until Saturday morning, with one popular online bookmaker having him at $26.
The decision was undoubtedly disappointing for Valiant King’s owners, as well as trainer Joseph O’Brien and his team, but Kheir said they remained confident in Valiant King’s ability, despite the setback.
Kheir said Valiant King would now have a spell with an eye towards feature race glory in the autumn and spring.
Kheir also revealed their plan to target the Australian Cup at Flemington, provided Valiant King settles in well under the care of trainer Chris Waller.
Zac Lloyd had initially been booked as the jockey for Valiant King, carrying a weight of 50 kilograms.
Despite the disappointment surrounding Valiant King’s withdrawal, there is a silver lining for some of the owners. Interpretation, another horse in their ownership, is now assured a place in the final Melbourne Cup field. Interpretation secured the 24th spot in the order following a recent victory in the Bendigo Cup.
However, Interpretation’s place in the Melbourne Cup was not guaranteed until Valiant King’s withdrawal, as Saturday’s Archer Stakes winner, Teo Nugent, remained in contention for a ballot-free entry.
Adding to the intrigue, the New Zealand galloper Ladies Man has also risen to the 24th spot in the Melbourne Cup order of entry, making it one of five Archer Stakes horses vying for a coveted position in the Melbourne Cup.
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