Warrnambool Cup winner Furrion has been sent to the paddock and will miss his chance for an early ticket into the Melbourne Cup.
For the first time Saturday’s Listed Andrew Ramsden at Flemington guarantees the winner a ballot exemption into November’s Melbourne Cup.
The Andrew Ramsden Stakes has undergone a revamp this year, being shortened to 2800m and restricted to three, four and five-year-olds while also gaining a prize money hike to $400,000.
Lindsay Park senior trainer David Hayes said the Gerry Ryan-owned stayer Furrion had some heat in a foreleg and would not take his place on Saturday.
“He had a bit of heat in one leg, nothing serious, but if we pushed on we might miss the spring,” Hayes said.
“It was a little earth tremor, so I said no.
“I’d love to have run him and Gerry would have also.
“It’s a great concept as you can sit back and be an Englishman for the spring and have him peak on the day.
“But we’ll wait and produce him in September.”
Bred in England, Furrion began his career with Darren Weir before moving to Lindsay Park when Weir was disqualified for four years in February.
Furrion won six of his first seven starts for Weir before a streak of five winless performance ahead of his Warrnambool Cup (2350m) victory on May 2.
Hayes said Furrion would have a month in the paddock before being set for the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups.
He said first targets for the rising five-year-old were Cup qualifiers, the Naturalism Stakes at Caulfield and The Bart Cummings at Flemington.
“My experience is a little thing like this can become a big thing,” Hayes said.
“This race was a big temptation with the $400,000 and being a Melbourne Cup qualifier,” Hayes said.
“But that’s how much I think of him, I’m not going to risk him.”
Lindsay Park will rely on last-start Caulfield winner Alfaaris as its sole Andrew Ramsden runner.
