Mandatory CT scans for Cup hopefuls

Every international horse travelling to Melbourne for this year’s spring carnival will be CT scanned before and after arrival, in one of more than 40 recommendations by Racing Victoria.

The new guidelines, which will put significant hoops in front of the internationals (New Zealand horses are not considered internationals) intending to compete in the Melbourne Cup and other spring features, will also cap runners to just one start in Melbourne before the Cup.

The findings of the broad review will be released concurrently with the postmortem report into the death of Anthony

Van Dyck in last year’s race.

One source familiar with the fatality report told The Age that the post-mortem found ‘‘tell tale signs’’ in Anthony Van Dyck’s body that, had the horse been CT scanned, Racing Victoria would not have allowed the Epsom Derby winner to race.

Another source, however, said a CT scan would not have necessarily seen Anthony Van Dyck scratched by stewards, despite the post-mortem findings.

Only three horses were CT scanned at Werribee’s equine centre last year and Anthony Van Dyck was not one of them, despite being lame upon arrival to Werribee. The horse was injected with a nerve block on October 9 in order to identify where the horse was sore.

Horses will arrive a week earlier than usual this spring to allow for all horses to be CT scanned.

The cap on lead-up runs into the Melbourne Cup will not drastically affect races such as the Caulfield Cup, Geelong Cup or Moonee Valley Gold Cup, but will deny an international from running for a second time in the exempt Hotham Handicap – also known as the Lexus Stakes – on Derby day.

Last year’s Hotham Handicap winner Ashrun gained a Melbourne Cup run after backing up from the Geelong Cup, while Prince Of Arran ran third-up in the Melbourne Cup in 2018 and 2019.

Horses will be unable to compete in this year’s Herbert Power Handicap because of their new arrival date and the mandatory CT scans.