SIR DELIUS RULED OUT OF COX PLATE / MELBOURNE CUP

By Graham Potter | Friday, October 17, 2025

Shocking news out of Melbourne that will tear up the Cox Plate and Melbourne Cup markets is that Cup favourite Sir Delius has been ruled out of the remainder of the spring by order of the Racing Victoria Stewards.

The Racing Victoria media release, explaining both the decision and the background to it, reads as follows.

‘Racing Victoria (RV) Stewards, acting on specialist veterinary advice, have today ordered the withdrawal of the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained Sir Delius from the entries for the 2025 Lexus Melbourne Cup at Flemington and 2025 Ladbrokes Cox Plate at The Valley.

‘In accordance with the conditions of the Lexus Melbourne Cup, Sir Delius was presented this week at the University of Melbourne Equine Centre in Werribee for a compulsory Computed Tomography (CT) scan of its distal limbs.

‘CT scan results are reviewed by an independent panel of diagnostic imaging specialists which comprises representatives from Australia, UK and USA. Three members are nominated to review the scans for each horse independent of one another.

‘The nominated panel members reported to RV Veterinary Services that the CT scan results for Sir Delius indicated that the horse is currently at heightened risk of injury.

‘Given the imaging panel’s advice, in accordance with RV’s enhanced 2025 veterinary protocols, the Waterhouse-Bott stable was afforded the opportunity for Sir Delius to undergo a Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scan which can help determine the status of an area of concern.

‘Sir Delius presented yesterday (Thursday, 16 October) for a PET scan at the University of Melbourne Equine Centre and the results were shared with the same three members of the imaging panel for review over the past 24 hours.

‘Having reviewed the PET scan results alongside the CT scan results, the panel members have advised RV Veterinary Services that they remain of the view that Sir Delius is currently at heightened risk of injury.

‘Following advice from RV Veterinary Services in relation to the specialist opinions from the imaging panel, RV Stewards have stood down Sir Delius from competing in the remainder of the 2025 Spring Racing Carnival. The Stewards have appraised the connections of the key information that they relied upon in making their decision.'

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