Australian racing icon Damien Oliver's fairytale Melbourne Cup farewell may be over before it begins.
The 51-year-old legendary jockey was booked to ride Alenquer ($51) for Michael Moroney in Tuesday's $8 million Flemington feature.
Oliver will retire in December, and was dreaming of adding a fourth Melbourne Cup to his trophy cabinet before riding into the sunset.
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But on Sunday Moroney provided a worrying update on Alenquer following a track gallop.
Stewards announced a farrier had found a bone bruise in Alenquer's hoof, and the horse will need to pass a veterinary inspection on Monday to determine if he can run.
If Alenquer is scratched, Oliver will be without a Melbourne Cup ride in his farewell spring carnival.
Alenquer had drawn barrier 9 on Saturday night and Moroney was spruiking the horse's chances of claiming the Cup.
"We wanted to draw a single figure (gate), we just made it under so that's good," he told media.
"He has had a nice preparation for it, he is pretty much on target.
https://twitter.com/RVStewards/status/1720949450192130122?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
"You never know until you try. If he can get the right run, and that draw will enable him to get a bit of cover, I think he can (win).
"We bought him for this race."
Oliver rode Kalapour to victory in the Lexus Archer Stakes on Saturday to book its spot in the Melbourne Cup field, but Zac Lloyd scored that mount given Oliver was already booked on Alenquer.
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