A heartbroken Sam Clipperton will miss at least the next month after having his mouth wired and a plate put in his broken jaw on Tuesday.

He had held out hope of still riding Golden Eagle third favourite Maximal, but the injury from being kicked by a horse at his Hunter Valley property on Monday, was more severe than first feared.

“I’m devastated, but it is what is,” Clipperton told the Sydney Morning Herald. “I wanted to ride him, but I have a plate in my jaw and my mouth is wired shut at the moment.

“I’m out for a month but will try to get back to riding before that if possible.”

Alysha Collett will take on the John O’Shea-trained Maximal, which is still a $10 Golden Eagle chance despite drawing the outside gate.

“We have had a lot of success with Alysha and she will do a great job,” O’Shea said. “The horse has settled in well and we think he will live up to his European form.”

Maximal will have blinkers applied for the first time for his Australian debut in the $7.5 million race, which he was purchased for out of Europe by Rosemont Stud.

Collett, who has a 30 per cent strike-rate with the O’Shea stable, will spend the next days studying the videos of Maximal’s European runs, including his fourth to Poetic Flare in the St James Palace at Royal Ascot and being runner-up to unbeaten star Baaeed in the Sir Henry Cecil Stakes at Newmarket.

“I never thought I would be riding such a good chance in a $7.5 million race, and it is a bit of good luck to get on him,” Collett said. “He has been in a good race over in Europe and they have sent me the video to have a look at. I just wish he had drawn a bit better but we can’t do anything about that.”