Red Verdon will undergo a veterinary examination before final acceptances for the Melbourne Cup 2018 after missing a trackwork session at Werribee with a bruised heel.

Racing Victoria stewards said in a statement the bruising was detected before Red Verdon was supposed to gallop on Thursday morning.

It resulted in the stayer, a $51 chance in latest betting, missing a vital gallop.

Red Verdon will undergo an examination by an RV vet on Friday ahead of Saturday’s final acceptances for the $7 million race.

Robin Trevor-Jones, the travelling foreman for Red Verdon’s trainer Ed Dunlop, said hot and cold poultices were being applied to draw out the bruising, describing it as a 24-hour problem.

The RV veterinary department on Thursday commenced fitness tests on the remaining 46 horses in contention for next Tuesday’s race with all inspections due to be completed by Friday.