Japanese star Admire Deus fighting for his life after gallop injury

Japanese staying star Admire Deus has been cruelly ruled out of the Caulfield Cup, as well as next month's Melbourne Cup, after suffering a ligament injury in the lower part of the suspensory while doing a routine track gallop at Warrnambool on Tuesday which has left him fighting for his life.

In Admire Deus' absence, a field of 17 were declared for the $3 million (£1.77m/€2m) showpiece on Saturday and among them are Irish raiders Wicklow Brave, the mount of Joao Moreira, and Johannes Vermeer, for whom Ben Melham has been booked. Winx's rider Hugh Bowman partners Marmelo for Hughie Morrison.

Admire Deus had been favourite for Saturday's race and was a single-figure price with some firms for the Melbourne Cup but we might never see him on a racecourse again with the six-year-old reported to be fighting for his life by Jarrod McLean, foreman to trainer Darren Weir.

"I reckon it's touch and go," McLean told RSN 927's Racing Pulse. "As far as rehabilitation goes it's a horrific injury and I'd be surprised if he raced again.

"He was out having his final gallop and Johnny Allen came down to partner him. Initially it looked like he had broken a leg. Johnny had him pulled up quite quickly but kept him to his feet. We were able to get him into the horse ambulance and back to our stables.

"We've since had a scan and an X-ray, and there's no breaks or fractures, but there is fragments of bone. On scan, it looks like he's done the ligaments in the lower part of the suspensory. It's pretty horrible – the pastern joint is close to the ground.

"We've made him as comfortable as we can – we've put a splint on him – and he's in the process of being transported to Ballarat for further examination."

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