Racing Victoria stewards will depend on the goodwill of owner Lloyd Williams after it was confirmed yesterday that Melbourne Cup favourite Efficient is facing an uphill battle to be fit for next Tuesday.
It appears likely that injury could keep the 2007 Melbourne Cup winner out of the race that stops a nation for the third time after veterinarians found heat in his off foreleg.
The six-year-old had been the centre of rumours that he had not worked since his win in the Turnbull Stakes (2000m) on October 3 and stewards finally sent a team of vets to inspect him at the Mount Macedon stables of trainer John Sadler.
RVL vets Paul O'Callaghan and Geoff Hazard, as well as equine specialist Chris Whitton from Melbourne University, were concerned about Efficient's leg but passed stablemates C'est La Guerre and Zipping to race after a three-hour visit.
"We are monitoring the situation (with Efficient)," chief steward Terry Bailey said. "The stable has assured us that they will not accept for the (Melbourne) Cup if it's not in the best interests of the horse."
Betting agencies were quick to ease Efficient's odds after the news, with many putting the "unlikely" tag next to his name while him moving him to $8.
TAB Sportsbet had him at $7.50, $1 longer than Alcopop and Viewed last night but will consider its position this morning.
"He was one of the horses we offered a special promotion about and bet $42, so we are standing him as a loser at the moment," spokesman Matt Jenkins said.
"We will look at him again in the morning and I'd say we'll probably push him (out)."
Bailey indicated vets would inspect Efficient again before Tuesday but would not be drawn on where or when. It is believed he is scheduled to have a final gallop tomorrow but it's unlikely RVL vets will be present.
"I haven't got a crystal ball and we have not set a time or date to have another look at the horses again but it will be before Tuesday," Bailey said. "We will be in touch with the stable's vets twice a day and, as I said, we are monitoring the situation and I can't say much more."
Williams had declared there was nothing wrong with Efficient but the vets reported that the stable had been treating his off foreleg for the past 18 months.
Efficient has been a central player in the Melbourne Cup for the past four years. He was a race morning scratching in 2006 after being entered following his Victoria Derby win three days earlier.
He won in 2007 to give Williams his third Melbourne Cup as an owner and was favourite last year before being forced to withdraw six days before the race with the same injury which threatens his 2009 quest.
Elsewhere, Godolphin's Kirklees was the star of morning trackwork at Sandown yesterday.
Kerrin McEvoy was in the saddle as the imported stayer moved off from the 1400m and steadily increased his tempo, running the last 1200m in 1min16sec, sprinting home the final 400m in 24.
"It was good work and I think he has improved since the Caulfield Cup," McEvoy said.
Changingoftheguard is likely to be a Cup starter after trainer David Hayes told RVL stewards that the four-year-old had not missed any work since his hoof problem 10 days ago. He added that Changingoftheguard had recently received chiropractic treatment, as is normal routine at his stable.
Hong Kong-based Zac Purton will return to take the ride on Munsef after regular jockey Eddie Ahern told trainer Ian Williams he would be unable to make the English stayer's 53kg handicap.
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