Australian stayer Efficient is a doubt for next week's A$5.6 million (£3.08 million) Melbourne Cup after officials said the gelding would need to pass another fitness test to be cleared for the 3,200 metre handicap.

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• Racing results: Wednesday October 28

The stable of the 2007 Melbourne Cup winner were managing an injury in the horse's off foreleg which had been present for the past 12-18 months, a stewards' report said on Thursday.

It noted that the John Sadler-trained gelding had raced well with the condition in its last start, a win in the A$500,000 Turnbull Stakes, a Group One 2000m race at Melbourne's Flemington course earlier this month.

"The stable's veterinary staff will monitor Efficient in the lead up to Tuesday's Melbourne Cup and a further examination by RVL veterinarians will take place prior to Efficient starting in the cup," the report said.

Vets had also examined Stadler's two other Melbourne Cup entries, Zipping and C'est La Guerre.

Both had been cleared for Tuesday's race, although the report noted that C'est La Guerre, third at last year's Cup, had endured back pain after an unplaced finish at the A$2.5 million Caulfield Cup earlier this month.