The Peter and Paul Snowden-trained Creator has been scratched from the Group One Caulfield Guineas with first emergency Exeter now in the field.
Creator, who had the outside draw in Saturday’s 1600m race, was withdrawn on Wednesday morning.
Exeter is the $126 outsider of the field in Caulfield Guineas odds and is now one of three runners in the race for the Lindsay Park stable of co-trainers David and Ben Hayes and Tom Dabernig along with Yourdeel and Conqueror.
Caulfield Guineas Prelude third placegetter Groundswell, who is the second emergency and an $18 chance in Caulfield Guineas betting, has edged closer to a start.
Trained by Anthony Freedman, lightly raced Groundswell is a brother to now-retired multiple Group One winner Shoals and was beaten less than a length in the Prelude on September 29 at just his third start after winning a Geelong maiden earlier in September.
“It’s a little frustrating,” Freedman’s son and assistant trainer Sam Freedman said after the colt failed the make the Caulfield Guineas final field on Tuesday.
“He’s such a talented horse and we were discussing (on Tuesday morning) whether for the future whether they do look at the first three in the Preludes getting into the race.
“He’s run the lead-up and he’s run very well in the lead-up and he can’t get into the field. But that’s the way it is and hopefully he gets a run because he has taken another step again and he’s very versatile.
“He’s a really exciting horse so hopefully he gets a run.”
Exeter won a 1200m benchmark race at Mornington two starts ago before being beaten 10 lengths in the Guineas Prelude (1400m) last start.
“Two starts ago it was a good win at Mornington. He went back and really hit the line strongly,” Ben Hayes said.
“In his last start he drew a good gate and we rode him a bit closer and it probably didn’t suit him so I don’t think barrier 15 is a bad gate for him (in the Guineas).”
