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Order Of Australia will not defend his crown in the Breeders’ Cup Mile after suffering a career-ending training setback.

Trainer Aidan O'Brien said the four-year-old had suffered a leg fracture on Wednesday morning, had already undergone surgery to have a pin inserted and would be retired to stud.

On Monday O'Brien nominated Order Of Australia to the G1 race in which he beat Circus Maximus and Lope Y Fernandez to lead home a stable one-two-three at Keeneland 12 months ago, but then disclosed during a telephone conference on Wednesday evening that he was injured.

"Order Of Australia had a little bit of a setback this morning and it looks like he won't be able to travel," he said.

He added later: "He probably won't get to race. It's a small fracture. He had a pin put in it this morning and everything went well. He'll go off to stud now."

In Order Of Australia's absence Mother Earth will shoulder Ballydoyle hopes in the Mile.

Love is doubly entered in both the Turf and Filly & Mare Turf with the Turf her first preference, but O'Brien suggested she may be switched to the Filly & Mare as Japan, Broome, Bolshoi Ballet and Mogul have only got onto the also-eligible list for the Turf.

"We have four G1 winners that are all listed as reserves so it is very possible that we might have to take Love out of it and let her run in the Fillies & Mares to give the other horses a chance of getting into the Turf," he said.