Race horse Saint George ruled out of Melbourne Cup

By Danya Meyerthal.

Racing Victoria stewards have withdrawn Saint George from Tuesday’s Melbourne Cup after an independent panel of imaging specialists found the Ciaron Maher-trained stayer was at heightened risk of injury.

The horse underwent a compulsory CT scan of its lower limbs at the University of Melbourne Equine Centre in Werribee this week, according to a Racing Victoria stewards’ report released on Thursday.

Three members of a seven-person international panel of specialists from Australia, the UK and the USA reviewed the scan independently of one another.

His stable was given the option of a follow-up PET scan, which he underwent on Wednesday. After reviewing both scans, the panel advised that Saint George remains at heightened risk of injury, and stewards have stood him down for the rest of the 2026 Spring Racing Carnival.

Every horse seeking a Melbourne Cup start must undergo a standing CT scan, with follow-up PET scans added to Racing Victoria’s veterinary protocols in 2025.

Coalition for the Protection of Racehorses campaign director Elio Celotto says the checks should not be limited to the spring carnival. “If they really cared about the horses’ wellbeing, they would have this additional testing that they do through the spring carnival throughout the year,” Mr Celotto said.

The withdrawal comes less than a fortnight after Ohope Wins was euthanised following a fall in the Caulfield Cup.

The Melbourne Cup will be run at Flemington on Tuesday.

AI-generated image of a jockey before a race. Image: Aniwat/Adobe Stock (generated with AI).