Star colt Anamoe has suffered a minor setback but James Cummings remains optimistic the star colt will take his place in the $4 million Queen Elizabeth Stakes.
Cummings reported to stewards that the Rosehill Guineas winner presented with an elevated temperature and minor blood abnormality during the week.
However, the Godolphin head trainer said Anamoe had not missed any work and confirmed further blood tests would be taken from the three-year-old in the coming days to ascertain his fitness to race.
Cummings was remaining upbeat on the opening day of The Championships at Randwick on Saturday but said they would take no risks with the Cox Plate runner-up.
“Its’s very minor, but he’s a high-profile horse in a high-profile race and we are under every obligation to declare it to the stewards,” Cummings said.
“He is only going to run in the race if we think he is really perfect for the run, it’s as simple as that.”
The Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) has been billed as the race of the season and in the absence of star English galloper Addeyyb, who has won it for the past two years but isn’t travelling to Sydney this autumn, Australia’s best weight-for-age horses are converging on the 2000m showpiece.
Horse Of The Year Verry Elleegant will be trying to win it for the first time having twice been bridesmaid to Addeybb but will face stiff competition in the form of Zaaki and her Ranvet Stakes conqueror Montefilia.
Rising star Duais is also in contention for the race, although trainer Edward Cummings is yet to decide if the Australian Cup and Tancred Stakes winner will line up there, or the Sydney Cup (3200m) on the same program.
