A minor leg injury has forced talented sprinter Havatryst out of the Listed Keith Noud Quality at Eagle Farm on Saturday.
The son of Foreplay, who is unbeaten in two starts this campaign, was found to be tender in his off foreleg when trainer Barry Baldwin inspected him at his stables on Monday afternoon.
X-rays have revealed the injury is not serious and won’t stop him from continuing his summer campaign.
“It appears he may have bumped his leg some time on Monday,” Baldwin said.
“He’s not lame but he’s a bit sore around the cannon bone area in his off foreleg.
“It’s only superficial and I could have pushed ahead and run him Saturday but I don’t want to take any risks and he’ll have a few days off.”
Havatryst, who also had been nominated for a 1200-metre class six race at Doomben, will have his next start in the Group Three George Moore Stakes (1200m) at Doomben on December 10.
“It means he won’t have run for five weeks but there’s nothing we can do about it,” Baldwin said.
Meanwhile trainer Kelso Wood wasn’t unduly concerned with Belltone’s barrier trial defeat at Doomben on Tuesday ahead of his comeback in the Keith Noud Quality.
Belltone, ridden by Chris Munce, finished fifth to the former Bart Cummings-trained Griffon in an 800-metre heat.
Griffon, making his first public appearance for trainer Rob Heathcote, comfortably beat Belltone’s stablemates Spirit Of Flatley and Zero Rock.
Belltone won his maiden at Eagle Farm in May and went on to win five of his next six starts including his first win in open company at Doomben in September.
“He (Belltone) looked a bit disappointing in the trial but he doesn’t like tight little tracks like Doomben,” Wood said.
“I thought Zero Rock’s effort was quite good. In her younger days she would have won that trial by 10 lengths but she’s an older mare now.
“She’s resuming in a fillies and mares race on Saturday week and she’ll come in nicely under the set weight conditions before she runs in the Lough Neagh again.”
Zero Rock won last year’s Listed Lough Neagh Stakes before finishing fifth in the Listed Goldmarket Handicap and second in the Magic Millions Cup (1400m) at the Gold Coast in January.
AAP TURF
