Three-time Group One winner Werther has been withdrawn from the Longines Hong Kong Cup (2000m) on Sunday after succumbing to a suspensory injury.

The 2015-16 Hong Kong Horse of the Year underwent a pre-race veterinary check which found that he had a slightly thickened and reactive right-front medial suspensory branch, with a subsequent scan confirming the injury.

The Tavistock gelding was initially trained by Andrew Campbell in New Zealand where he won two Group Two races in Australasia and was runner-up in the Gr.1 Queensland Derby and Gr.1 South Australian Derby.

He was subsequently sold to Hong Kong where he has picked up three Group One victories and more than HK$55 million (NZ$10.2 million) in prizemoney.