Dual Group One winner Shoot Out has been ruled out of the spring with a niggling back injury.
Trainer John Wallace said the gelding’s owners Graham and Linda Huddy had decided not to risk the four-year-old who won’t race again this year.
The son of High Chaparral won the Group One Randwick Guineas (1600m) and Group One AJC Australian Derby (2400m) at Randwick before embarking on a failed Cox Plate and Melbourne Cup mission last year.
Wallace then targeted the Group One TJ Smith and Group One All-Aged Stakes in Sydney during the autumn before Shoot Out returned home for the Brisbane winter carnival.
However, Shoot Out could not regain his best form in Brisbane, failing in the Group Two Hollindale Stakes and Group One Doomben Cup before finishing second to Glass Harmonium in the Group Two Eagle Farm Cup on June 4.
Wallace said Shoot Out had a history of back issues and it had been decided to miss the spring carnival and give him a longer break to fully recover.
“He’s always had a sore lower back and we’ve been able to manage him but it just caught up with him in the winter,” Wallace said.
“He’s spelling now and the vets’ recommendation was to have six months off.”
AAP TURF