There are doubts over the participation of two of the Irish-trained runners in Tuesday's Melbourne Cup after the first veterinary exams on Thursday.

Stewards reported "a change in its gait to previous veterinary examinations" for both horses.

Both Absurde and Goodie Two Shoes must now pass a second exam on Saturday before being allowed to run.

The German challenger Flatten The Curve is also on the list for Saturday's second examination.

Absurde has already run in two Melbourne Cups, finishing fifth and seventh. Willie Mullins had earlier said he had passed all his pre travel scans with flying colours.

RVStewards@RVStewards

"Racing Victoria (RV) veterinarians today conducted the first of two pre-race physical veterinary inspections of horses entered in the $10 million Lexus Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington next Tuesday, 4 November.

This examination forms part of the veterinary protocols to determine each horse’s suitability to accept at Saturday’s (1 November) 4.30pm (AEDT) deadline.

A total of 34 horses were examined today by RV veterinarians. This included Grand Pierro (31st in the Order of Entry as at this morning) who was subsequently withdrawn by RV Stewards acting on veterinary advice owing to the results of its mandatory CT scans.

The following 29 horses (listed in order of entry) passed today’s physical examination and have now been deemed suitable to accept for the Melbourne Cup in accordance with all relevant conditions of the race:

Half Yours, Onesmoothoperator, Parchment Party, Torranzino, Valiant King, Al Riffa, Buckaroo, Arapaho, Vauban, Chevalier Rose, Presage Nocturne, Furthur, Middle Earth, Meydaan, Land Legend, Smokin' Romans, River Of Stars, More Felons, Changingoftheguard, Athabascan, Royal Supremacy, Sayedaty Sadaty, Birdman, Post Impressionist, Scary, Trav, Etna Rosso, Whisky On The Hill and Golden Snap.

The following four horses were not passed as suitable to accept based on today’s physical examination and will be re-examined by RV veterinarians prior to final acceptances:

Absurde (17th in order of entry) – Presented with a change in its gait to previous veterinary examinations and will be re-examined on Saturday morning.

Flatten The Curve (18th) - Presented with a change in its gait to previous veterinary examinations and will be re-examined on Saturday morning.

Goodie Two Shoes (21st) - Presented with a change in its gait to previous veterinary examinations and will be re-examined on Saturday morning.

Interpretation (32nd) – Presented with soreness in its right front foot following its fifth placing in yesterday’s Ladbrokes Bendigo Cup and will be re-examined on Friday morning.

Click here to view the updated Melbourne Order of Entry as at 5pm on 30 October 2025.