Dandino seen here chasing home Thomas Chippendale© Photo Healy Racing
Dandino has been scratched from the Emirates Melbourne Cup after suffering an injury.
The Marco Botti-trained seven-year-old had been due to try to improve on his fifth in the race last year, but after sitting out last Saturday's Caulfield Cup due to lameness, he will now also miss the November 4 feature.
The son of Dansili, who is part-owned by Australian Thoroughbred Bloodstock, is reported to have suffered a soft-tissue related injury but ATB's Darren Dance is unsure of future plans, with retirement a possible option.
"Friday week we will close that off and know what we are doing," he told www.thecourier.com.au.
"It's hard to know (what we will do) because I don't know what the owners want to do. I'd like to give (racing) another go, but I'm only a shareholder."
ATB will still have a Cup runner though as Seismos, who finished 15th in the Caulfield Cup, is set to take his chance.
"We bought him for the Melbourne Cup so that's his race. Flemington is his track and it doesn't matter whether it's wet or dry," Dance said.
Johnny Murtagh has booked Damien Oliver to ride his Ebor winner Mutual Regard in the big race.
"I was starting to get concerned when I didn't have one (a Melbourne Cup ride) and when Johnny rang me on Sunday I was really pleased to take the ride," Oliver told racing.com.
"Obviously he's a good stayer. The Ebor is traditionally a good form-guide for the Melbourne Cup. And without a stand-out Melbourne Cup horse this year, I think he's got a good chance.
"He's in good form, Johnny is a good trainer; he's been down here and experienced the Cup, so he knows what type of horse is needed.
"So I don't think he would have brought him all this way if he didn't think he had a real chance."
