Athabascan will not compete in the Melbourne Cup on Tuesday after Racing Victoria veterans ruled he was at increased risk of a cardiac episode.

All 24 Melbourne Cup finalists underwent a mandatory final veterinary examination on Monday, with 23 of them declared fit to race. However, Athabascan was withdrawn after a cardiac arrhythmia was discovered.

The John O’Shea and Tom Charlton-trained galloper’s ECG reports, blood test results and diagnosis were then passed to three independent experts, including overseas-based veterinarians specializing in equine internal medicine, including cardiology.

A report from Racing Victoria said: “They each independently indicated that due to the nature of the cardiac arrhythmia, Athabascan would need to undergo further testing before being allowed to race again for safety reasons.

“Based on these opinions and having considered additional evidence provided by the stable, RV veterinarians informed the stewards that in their opinion the horse should be withdrawn from the Melbourne Cup due to increased risk cardiac episode.

“As a result, the stewards, acting on veterinary advice, ordered the Athabascan to be withdrawn.

“The remaining 23 horses have been deemed fit to race tomorrow.”

Athabascan Relations said they would seek to meet with Racing Victoria stewards about the decision this week.

OTI Racing director Terry Henderson, who is the managing owner of the stayer, said the RV stewards’ decision came down to an interpretation issue over a cardiac irregularity, as he said his expert opinion was contrary to the decision to strike out.

“We have requested a meeting with the commissioners,” he said Monday evening. “We presented evidence that we believed the horse did not have a problem and this was refuted, so we requested a meeting with the stewards to review the situation.

“It’s a matter of interpretation and it’s not that we haven’t presented them with what we consider to be expert opinion on the horse’s ability to run.

“Disappointing is a gentle word to use. The horse’s owners and John (O’Shea, the trainer) are devastated because the horse is in good shape, he has proven himself over two miles and everything about the horse says he has never worked better, so It’s a pretty tough pill to take. swallow.”

RV stewards withdrew Athabascan on Monday evening after saying he was at increased risk of a cardiac episode after assessing the horse was suffering from a cardiac arrhythmia.

In a voice message to the large group of owners holding a share of the imported horse, O’Shea, who trains in partnership with Tom Charlton, said he could not explain the decision.

“During his veterinary exam today, he had a slightly irregular heartbeat while standing and resting, which gave us significant data on his ECG and gallops that this is indeed the horse,” O’Shea told the owners.

“He had an ECG at the gallop on Saturday, the horse was fine. We have provided veterinary commissioners with evidence that he has a low troponin level, meaning there is no problem with his heart.

“But they decided, regardless of all the veterinary advice we gave them, to remove him.

“I can’t explain it. The horse is 100 percent healthy and all the data we use is particularly good.

“I am deeply sorry to everyone involved, but this is not up to me.”