'It's ridiculous - very few young horses will pass the criteria' - Aidan O'Brien sounds warning about Melbourne Cup team

Aidan O'Brien is eager to relaunch his bid for a first Melbourne Cup with a team featuring St Leger winner Jan Brueghel, but the master trainer is far from sure any of his leading contenders will be permitted to run.

Any intended international representatives in the Lexus-sponsored Flemington showpiece can still be subject to rigorous testing before they get to the quarantine centre at Werribee. Since 2022 a nuclear scintigraphy is no longer mandatory, but it can still be requested by Racing Victoria‘s veterinary team.

All international horses must still complete a CT scan of their distal limbs prior to departure and, should that scan show cause for concern, a scintigraphy may be requested. Such a process still leaves three-year-olds at a distinct disadvantage according to O'Brien, as he feels the Classic generation are not fully formed yet and their bones are still maturing.