Trainer Anthony Cummings continues to hold out hope Smart Missile can make a belated carnival appearance in Sydney this autumn.
Cummings was forced to abandon Melbourne sprint plans for Smart Missile after the top colt suffered a setback early this month.
“He had an unusual hind limb issue,” Cummings said.
“It seems to be 98 to 99 per cent right now and the hope is he will be back for the late autumn and some of the races in the winter.”
While Cummings will run out of time to prepare Smart Missile for races like the TJ Smith and All Aged Stakes, he says the Group One Galaxy (1100m) at Randwick on April 21 remains an option.
“Being a handicap, he is well placed in a race like the Galaxy,” Cummings said.
Smart Missile’s career has been frustrated by misfortune.
The only horse to defeat Sepoy, Smart Missile was scratched at the barrier before the Golden Slipper when he became fractious in the stalls.
A few days later, he pulled up sore from trackwork and was ruled out of the Sires’ Produce Stakes, and the rest of the autumn.
He returned in the spring with a slashing win in the Run To The Rose then was controversially beaten by Manawanui in the Group One Golden Rose before failing in two Melbourne runs.
While disappointed by Smart Missile’s latest issue, Cummings was philosophical.
“You’ve just got to wait. They’re young, forming horses and stuff happens,” he said.
On a positive note, veteran Zavite will take the first step towards an autumn campaign in a barrier trial at Randwick on Friday.
A surprise winner of the Group One Ranvet Stakes last March, Zavite emerged from that campaign suffering wear and tear to his legs.
He was on the verge of retirement but did well enough in the paddock to convince connections to give the nine-year-old another preparation.
“We looked at him fairly long and hard before we decided to put him back in work,” Cummings said.
“He certainly hasn’t lost his zest for racing.”
Zavite is among the nominations for the Australian Cup (2000m) at Flemington in March.
AAP TURF
