Melbourne cup import Loft won’t run in the famous race after vets found a tendon issue on Friday morning.
Part owner Ozzie Kheir confirmed to News Corp's Ben Dorries that Loft would not run on Tuesday.
Loft was the $6.50 second-elect for the race that stops the nation.
It leaves superstar jockey James McDonald without a ride in the famous race after winning last year’s cup aboard Verry Elleegant.
It comes after vets ruled Caulfield Cup winner Durston out of the Melbourne Cup on Thursday morning.
Loft is trained by Marcel Weiss in Germany and had impressed onlookers earlier this week at track work.
Kheir told Racenet that there has been no problems with the vet process.
"I don't want to be a sook," Kheir said.
"I am just disappointed for the trainer and the fellow owners – and for racing – as we were very confident he would be hard to beat.
"But there has been swelling around his tendon.
"There is no blue with the (vet) process.
"It's been a tough time because we also lost Le Don De Vie from the Cup.
"But we have had a lot of successes, so it can't always be smooth sailing."
BREAKING: Loft is out of the Melbourne Cup!https://t.co/4xSkhsJrC6
— News Racing (@superracing) October 28, 2022
At Flemington last Tuesday, part-owner Ozzie Kheir spoke to SEN Track and was glowing in his praise of Loft who worked impressively under McDonald.
See the video below:
LOFT is the second favourite for the #MelbourneCup.
— SENTrack (@SEN_track) October 25, 2022
Owner Ozzie Kheir is a big fan of the horse and was very keen to lock @mcacajamez away for the ride.#HorseRacing | @SENGiddyUp pic.twitter.com/gsMPG5L1F7