English stayer Duretto has been ruled out of the Melbourne Cup with a stress fracture to his left foreleg.

The Andrew Balding-trained Duretto was lame after trackwork on Saturday and has undergone a wide range of veterinary tests.

The fracture was detected on Wednesday after a bone scan a day earlier failed to discover the injury.

Wednesday’s examination included nerve blocks and X-rays and Balding has formally withdrawn the horse.

Dwayne Dunn, who rode Duretto to fourth in the Caulfield Cup, is now without a Melbourne Cup ride.

Credit: AAP