Trainer Noel Mayfield-Smith is resigned to promising two-year-old filly Unequivocal missing the autumn carnival because of a heal injury.
“I think at this stage we’ll be pushing it and realistically I probably think she will need a spell,” the Hawkesbury trainer said.
Unequivocal turned in what Mayfield-Smith described as an outstanding piece of work at Hawkesbury on Tuesday in preparation for the Group Three Widden Stakes at Rosehill on Saturday.
But Mayfield-Smith said Unequivocal overreached as she was pulling up from the workout and damaged her heal.
Unequivocal confirmed the merit of an eye-catching debut placing in the Inglis Classic last month with a victory over the highly rated Delectation at Rosehill two weeks later.
Her defection from the Widden left a field of seven fillies at acceptance time for the $150,000 race, headed by the Gimcrack Stakes winner Alpha Miss.
Alpha Miss won the Gimcrack at her first start and was sent to the paddock after winning again at Randwick on October 19.
She set out on her autumn campaign with a Rosehill barrier trial win over Tetsuko last week.
The filly, a $6000 weanling purchase, hasn’t been nominated for the Golden Slipper.
But five of the seven Widden runners are Golden Slipper second acceptors, including Twirl, runner-up to brilliant colt Rubick at her first start.
Form out of the Gimcrack will carry extra importance with third placegetter Lucky Raquie and fourth-placed Kwinana also set to resume in the race.
Lucky Raquie is one of two runners for Gerald Ryan with the Rosehill trainer also accepting with impressive Kembla Grange debut winner Ygritte.
The Widden also features the return to racing of Inglis Nursery winner Mossfun for the Hawkes Racing team.
