By MIKE DILLON
New Zealand mare Honor Babe is out of Tuesday's A$4.5 million Melbourne Cup.
Trainer Katrina Alexander pulled the mare out late yesterday afternoon after giving up the fight to get the soreness out of Honor Babe's legs.
Honor Babe has had bruised feet since running in the Caulfield Cup, but
tests yesterday showed there is also a problem in her near-front fetlock.
"This has been like peeling an onion," said Alexander.
"With every layer you pull away you get closer to the real problem.
"I don't know if this has been there all along or whether we have aggravated it.
"There are enough outward signs to suggest if we carried on we could jeopardise her future completely.
"It's so frustrating to get this close and have to pull the pin."
As this year's Sydney Cup winner over the Melbourne Cup distance Honor Babe rated highly among the realistic chances next Tuesday.
Trainer Mark Walker continues to be delighted with the progress of New Zealand's big Melbourne Cup hope Distinctly Secret and will run the horse in tomorrow's A$500,000 Mackinnon Stakes as a lead-up, in which he meets Cox Plate winner Fields Of Omagh.
