Garnet River won't be seen winning at Moonee Valley this weekend
Connections of the two-year-olds colts and geldings engaged in Friday night’s Nevele R & Warwick Studs Tatlow Stakes Final would have breathed slightly easier when they saw the final field.
Garnet River, the nominal favourite for the $50,000 Group 2 finale, injured a shoulder in his effortless heat victory at Maryborough on May 22 and was not an acceptor for the 2100-metre event.
The Red River Hanover gelding’s trainer Hugh Cathels said that while the injury wasn’t serious, it was enough to keep him sidelined this weekend with a host of Group 1 features to come this season.
“It’s nothing major, he’s just a little bit off, but we’ve got the Sires in three or four weeks and the Breeders Crown after that,” Cranbourne-based Cathels said of the gelding who has won five of his seven starts.
“I could have nearly got him there (on Friday night), but I don’t believe in that. We think he’s a pretty good two-year-old so I’m not really game to push him.”
Roman Ruler, the other heat winner, is poised to start favourite in Garnet River’s absence.
The Dean Braun-trained, Chris Alford-driven former Kiwi was a strong 2:01.3 winner of his heat to make it two wins from two Australian starts and he has drawn favourably in barrier four.
Challenges can be expected from talented Bathurst visitor Barzona Highway (barrier two) and the Alex Douglas-trained Tormachtuga (nine), who finished runner-up in their respective heats and the well-drawn Hezaliner (three).
The Nevele R & Warwick Studs Tatlow Stakes Final is the first feature on a huge night of action at Moonee Valley this Friday night and will be run at 7.42pm.
