Trainer Mick Price says Pompeii Ruler will miss the entire spring carnival due to a fetlock injury.The seven-year-old gelding was being set for another crack at the $3 million Cox Plate at Moonee Valley on October 24 and Price had earmarked his return to racing for the Makybe Diva Stakes at Flemington on September 5.However Price didn't think Pompeii Ruler's joint would stand the rigours of a solid preparation.He was found to have swelling in the leg after he worked over 1200m on the sand track

Trainer Mick Price says Pompeii Ruler will miss the entire spring carnival due to a fetlock injury.

The seven-year-old gelding was being set for another crack at the $3 million Cox Plate at Moonee Valley on October 24 and Price had earmarked his return to racing for the Makybe Diva Stakes at Flemington on September 5.

However Price didn't think Pompeii Ruler's joint would stand the rigours of a solid preparation.

He was found to have swelling in the leg after he worked over 1200m on the sand track at Caulfield on Tuesday.

"I've spoken to the owner (Brian Coyle). We are sending the horse to the paddock," Price said.

"We are not happy with the amount of effusion in the off-front and for the amount of work and racing the horse had in front on him, I'm not happy with the fetlock with that in mind.

"I wouldn't say it was a specific breakdown but I think the joint needs a bit of time.

"We X-rayed him this morning and the X-ray was clean, but there is too much effusion in the fetlock to continue."

Pompeii Ruler ran third to Fields Of Omagh in the 2006 Cox Plate and went on to win twice at Group One level in the 2007 Australian Cup, run that year at Caulfield, and the 2009 Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Randwick.

The gelding, by 1995 Japan Two Thousand Guineas winner and Japan Derby runner-up Genuine, finished fourth to Gloria De Campeao in the Group One Singapore International Cup (2000m) at Kranji at his latest appearance on May 17.

The sparingly-raced Pompeii Ruler has had a stop-start career due to injury and has had just 22 starts for eight wins and six placings but despite that has managed to amass more than $2 million in prizemoney.

"We'll spell him for a couple of months and try and get him back for the autumn," Price said.

"His age, given the number of starts he's had, is not an issue, but his front legs are."

Pompeii Ruler had been a $14 chance for the Cox Plate with TAB Sportsbet before being taken out of the market after Wednesday's news.