Wednesday 7 October 2015 11:31, UK
Order Of St George is set to bypass the Melbourne Cup, although Aidan O'Brien could still be well represented with both Kingfisher and Bondi Beach expected to make the trip to Australia.
Order Of St George was last seen when powering home by 11 lengths in the Irish St Leger, with Australian owner Lloyd Williams and his son Nick subsequently buying a share of the Galileo colt as well as stakes in his Melbourne-bound stablemates.
All three have been in quarantine at Ballydoyle but Williams jnr reports that Order Of St George will not be on the plane when the O'Brien team jet out on Thursday.
He told www.racing.com: "I don't think there's too much of a problem with him.
"He was always a 50-50 chance of coming and I think Aidan's just decided not to risk him on a hard track.
"He's a young horse with a big future so he can come out next spring instead."
Bondi Beach, who finished second in the St Leger at Doncaster, and Ascot Gold Cup runner-up Kingfisher are both certain of a start in the two-mile feature at Flemington on November 3.
One horse already in Australia is Roger Charlton's Northumberland Plate winner Quest For More, who may run in the Caulfield Cup before the main event.
The trainer told www.rogercharlton.com: "He has a few days left to complete his quarantine in Werribee along with several other British horses, including Trip to Paris and the great Red Cadeaux.
"His long 36-hour journey from the UK 10 days ago went without a hitch. It is the first time he has flown anywhere or indeed travelled beyond Newcastle.
"It is important to get the horses eating and drinking and back into a routine. At the moment they are experiencing a mini heat wave with temperatures over 30 degrees.
"Yesterday he had a spin around Werribee racecourse on the grass with Tommy Berry, who I hope will be available to ride him in the Caulfield Cup on Saturday, October 17, which remains a possible prep race for the big one on November 3."
