The field for Saturday’s $6 million Cox Plate (2040m) has been reduced to eight runners after star galloper Globe was officially withdrawn on veterinary advice.

Trained by Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr, Globe had been in doubt for the Moonee Valley feature after undergoing a Sleip Test earlier in the week. The AI-assisted motion analysis revealed a slight irregularity in his movement caused by irritation around the capsule of his off-fore fetlock joint.

Racing Victoria veterinarians re-examined the gelding on Thursday morning and ruled him unfit to race after determining he was lame in that same leg. The decision brings an early end to Globe’s spring campaign just two weeks after his impressive victory in the Might And Power (2000m) at Caulfield.

In a statement on social media, Price Kent Racing said they fully supported Racing Victoria’s ruling. “The horse was not 100% and the welfare of any horse comes before any race,” the stable posted on X, formerly Twitter. “He will be spelled and prepare for the autumn.”

The connections of Globe had paid a hefty $200,000 late entry fee to secure a start in the Cox Plate, widely regarded as Australia’s premier weight-for-age race. His withdrawal leaves a smaller but still high-quality field for the 2025 renewal at Moonee Valley.

Punters can view updated odds and markets for the Cox Plate at Australia’s top betting sites.