Admire Deus is battling for life with the Japanese galloper being transferred from Warrnambool to Ballarat for emergency surgery after breaking down on Tuesday morning.

Jarrod McLean, Darren Weir's foreman at Warrnambool, said on Tuesday morning that the horse, who was to run in Saturday's $3.15million BMW Caulfield Cup, had sustained a serious leg injury that had put his life in danger.

"I reckon it's still touch and go," McLean told RSN 927's Racing Pulse.

"As far as rehabilitation goes it’s a horrific injury and I would be surprised if he raced again."

McLean explained what exactly happened in what was supposed to be Admire Deus' final piece of work for Saturday's Cup.

"He was out having his final gallop - Johnny Allen came down to partner him," McLean said.

"Absolutely no criticism of the club, absolutely beautiful surface to gallop on, it's just one of those things.

"He was working with his mate Burning Front, and about 100m out, he came to his outside to join him and hopefully run past him - initially it looked like he had broken a leg. Johnny had him pulled up quite quickly, but kept him to his feet.

"We were able to get him into the horse ambulance and back to our stables. We've since had a scan and an X-ray, and there's no breaks or fractures, but there is fragments of bone. On scan, it looks like he's done the ligaments in the lower part of the suspensory.

"It's pretty horrible - the pastern joint is close to the ground.

"We've made him as comfortable as we can - we've put a splint on him - and he's in the process of being transported to Ballarat for further information."