In a heartbreaking turn of events for trainer John O’Shea his second favourite for today’s $15 million The Everest race in Sydney, Lost And Running, has been scratched.

Second favourite Lost And Running has been scratched from the $15 million The Everest field in Sydney today. Photo: Steve Hart.

The last start Group 2 Premiere Stakes winner was under an injury cloud yesterday with O’Shea informing Racing NSW stewards on Friday about a skin irritation to the inside of the horse’s off-hind fetlock joint.

A subsequent vet inspection on Saturday morning has seen the well-backed six-year-old, fourth in the race last year, declared lame and officially scratched from The Everest 2022 field.

“A vet inspection of Lost And Running this morning has found Lost And Running to be lame in the off hind leg and unsuitable to start in The Everest,” Racing NSW confirmed.

“Lost And Running has been scratched from The Everest.”

The horse dubbed ‘Special K’, Kementari, has been selected from the four emergencies by slot-holders TAB to replace Lost And Running in the sixth edition of the world’s richest turf race.

The James Cummings-trained eight-year-old was originally tipped to fill the Godolphin slot in the event.

The racing powerhouse eventually chose the fellow Cummings-trained Ingratiating.

Ingratiating is rated a $41 chance in The Everest betting and jumps from barrier four third-up with Glyn Schofield to ride.

Kementari will start from seven and is also at The Everest odds of $41 through Ladbrokes.com.au.

Jockey Hugh Bowman was set to ride Lost And Running, but will still get his shot at The Everest riches coming aboard Kementari who was last seen running only a half-length fourth in the Premiere Stakes.

Updated The Everest markets remain dominated by Chris Waller’s defending champion Nature Strip.

The $19 million earner and international Group 1 winning sprinter jumps from barrier 12 of 12 with James McDonald continuing associations.

Nature Strip has firmed right back into odds-on territory at $1.65 having been out to as long as $2 on Friday to go back-to-back.

Joe Pride’s nine-year-old Eduardo and the Team Hawkes-trained Masked Crusader drawn alongside each other in barriers nine and ten respectively occupy the second line of betting at an equal $10.

Masked Crusader was runner-up in a slashing effort last year and will appreciate the previously Heavy Randwick track firming into a Soft (7) at time of publish.

Eduardo also finished in the money when third 12 months ago and would have preferred Heavy going being a superior wet tracker.

In further bad news for O’Shea he has also been forced to scratch Maximal (19) from today’s Group 1 $5 million Caulfield Cup (2400m) in Melbourne.

Jockey Ben Melham has been left without a ride in the 2022 Caulfield Cup field, while Waller’s first emergency Durston comes into barrier six with Michael Dee aboard.

O’Shea remains in with a shot at the Caulfield Cup trophy with his classy grey Benaud a $10 chance in the outsider barrier (18) with Regan Bayliss to ride.

Click here for the latest 2022 The Everest odds.

Click here for the updated 2022 Caulfield Cup betting markets.

All links lead to Ladbrokes.com.au.

Updated The Everest 2022 Field

Table Credit: Racing Australia.