Overview
- Racing Victoria stewards have stood Sir Delius down from the remainder of the 2025 Spring Racing Carnival, removing him from both the Cox Plate and the Melbourne Cup.
- The decision followed a compulsory CT scan and a follow-up PET scan at the University of Melbourne Equine Centre that indicated a heightened risk of injury.
- An independent imaging panel with specialists from Australia, the UK and the USA reviewed the results and advised RV Veterinary Services before stewards acted.
- The withdrawal immediately reshaped betting markets, with Via Sistina tightening as Cox Plate favourite and Joseph O’Brien’s Al Riffa promoted to Melbourne Cup favouritism.
- CT screening for Cup runners was introduced after past fatalities, with PET added this year as a secondary test when CT results raise concerns.