Caulfield Guineas winner All Too Hard will sign off for the spring following the Cox Plate.
The colt with one of the highest profiles in Australian racing is a notable but not unexpected omission from first acceptors for the $1.5 million Victoria Derby.
When a deadline passed on Tuesday for first acceptors in the Classic, 24 three-year-olds were left standing.
“He’ll won’t be going to the Derby after Saturday, he’ll be off to the paddock,” All Too Hard’s co-trainer John Hawkes said on Sky Sports Radio.
The Gai Waterhouse-trained Kabayan is also out of the race after missing a place in the Norman Robinson Stakes last Saturday.
The first four horses across the line in the Caulfield race – headed by the winner Hvasstan – are still on contention for a Derby start.
There are 21 first acceptors for the VRC Oaks including Thousand Guineas placegetters Dear Demi and Zydeco.
Missing after the pay up stage are Sydney filly Longport, Love For Ransom, Maybe Discreet and Molto Bene.
Manikato Stakes favourites Buffering and Sea Siren are among 22 first acceptors for the Patinack Farm Classic, the feature sprint race during the Melbourne Cup carnival.
Howmuchdoyouloveme, a first-up winner in the Caulfield Sprint on Saturday, is also among the pay ups for the weight-for-age race.
