Unbeaten Brisbane sprinter Zoustyle will take no further part in the winter carnival after contracting a low-grade virus.
The Tony Gollan-trained three-year-old was scheduled to run in Saturday’s Listed Daybreak Lover Plate (1200m).
But after the problem surfaced on Tuesday morning, Gollan decided to pull up stumps and concentrate on getting him ready for spring features.
“It is nothing serious but it is just a low-grade virus which meant we couldn’t prepare him properly for Saturday,” Gollan said.
“With so many horses coming from all over the place there are plenty of virus-type illnesses around.
“He can have three weeks off and then we can get him back for a tilt at the spring carnivals.”
Zoustyle has won his six races including a 1200m-handicap first-up last month.
Gollan is hoping to still have a feature runner at the Eagle Farm meeting with I’m A Rippa on the cusp of a start in the Group One Stradbroke Handicap (1400m).
“It is a bit confusing because we were told he was sure to get a run,” Gollan said.
“The ballot order didn’t come out until after acceptances for last Saturday or we would have run him in the Moreton Cup.
“But he is right on the edge and it is no use whingeing and we have the Hinkler as a back-up on Saturday.”
With the meeting dominated by interstate horses, local fan favourite The Candy Man will be chasing his eighth win in a row in the Group Two Brisbane Cup (2400m).
The grey gelding has developed a large public following after recovering from a broken jaw suffered in a stable accident as a young horse.
Trainer Barry Baldwin has been eyeing a Brisbane Cup start for months with The Candy Man who passed his first stakes test with victory in the Group Three Premier’s Cup (2200m) last Saturday week.
“His last-start win in the Premier’s Cup should ensure he makes the field,” Baldwin said.
Racing Queensland will be keeping a close watch on the performances of Man To Match and Trusty Lad in the Queensland Derby.
RQ introduced a three-year-old summer stayers series to encourage young middle distance horses in Queensland.
Trusty Lad and Man To Match are graduates of the series.
