Duretto's Melbourne Cup place in doubt after lameness scare

Connections of Duretto face an anxious 48 hours as they await the result of a bone scan that will determine whether he will be able to participate in the 2018 Lexus Melbourne Cup.

The Caulfield Cup fourth was found to be lame in his left fore leg after a trackwork at Werribee on Saturday and will have the potentially make-or-break scan at the University of Melbourne Equine Centre on Tuesday.

Andrew Balding's representative Leanne Masterton said: "He's just a little sore after Caulfield, we thought he was a bit jarred but it hasn't improved so we're having a bone scan as we're not quite sure yet. It's going to happen Tuesday morning and we'll know more then."

The six-year-old is currently restricted to box rest and will remain so until the scan has been conducted ahead of the Melbourne Cup, for which he is best-priced 20-1.

Kings Will Dream out of the Cup

Kings Will Dream, who pulled up early in Winx's historic fourth Cox Plate, has fractured his pelvis and faces a critical 72 hours.

He also ruptured a blood vessel in the incident and the attending vets initially had trouble stopping the bleeding, but managing owner Brad Spicer tweeted: "He sustained a pelvic fracture and ruptured a blood vessel which thankfully looks to have clotted overnight.

"The next 24 to 72 hours is critical as he will be monitored closely, the vets are still concerned the blood clot can be disturbed. Praying for KWD."

Kings Will Dream: was pulled up in the Cox PlateCredit: Vince Caligiuri

Formerly trained by Micky Hammond, the British import has had an excellent carnival for Darren Weir, finishing third – beaten a head – in the Group 1 Memsie Stakes before finishing second in the Makybe Diva, third to WInx in the Turnbull and sixth in the Caulfield Cup.

He was a best-priced 33-1 shot for the Melbourne Cup.

Murphy to ride in Japan

Oisin Murphy will have a short stint riding in Japan in December after the Japan Racing Association granted him with a licence from December 15 to 28.

Murphy has ridden nine Group 1 winners in five different countries this year and told racing.com: "We’ve got the Breeders' Cup next weekend and there are plenty of high-profile horses are going there. Then it's off to the Hong Kong and then Japan, so it’s exciting times. I’m working hard and hopefully we can keep finding fast horses."

He will clash with Hugh Bowman again in Japan with the only jockey who finished in front of him in the Manikato and Cox Plate on a short-term licence in Japan from November 24 to December 23.

Benbatl (right) was no match for Winx in the Cox PlateCredit: Michael Dodge

Of his clash with Winx, Murphy added: "Winx was completely dominant. I gave it my best shot and so did Benbatl. Saeed [Bin Suroor, trainer] targeted this race for the last six months and we came up against an outstanding race mare.

"I thought I’d give her a race and in fairness to him, he didn’t stop. He hit the line but she was just too good. Full credit to everyone. She got a massive reception and it’s brilliant to see so many fans supporting horse racing."

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