Vega Magic is recovering from a paddock injury with Lindsay Park setting its sights on a second Goodwood with the gelding.
A Sydney/Melbourne early autumn campaign has been ruled out for the sprinter after he took fright during a storm and ran into a fence.
“It was a nasty cut that required 40 stitches,” senior Lindsay Park trainer David Hayes said.
“There were no problems with tendons or anything. Infection was the risk, so we’ve taken no chances with him.
“He was the fastest horse in the paddock … he hit the fence first.”
After doing his early racing in Perth, Vega Magic had his first start for Lindsay Park winning the Goodwood at Morphettville last May.
Vega Magic, who finished second to Redzel in The Everst, was spelled following an unplaced effort up the straight in the Darley Classic at Flemington in November and was being aimed at the Newmarket Handicap at Flemington in March.
“He won’t run in the Newmarket, we haven’t got time,” Hayes said.
“He’ll probably be back to defend his Goodwood win.”
Stablemate Redkirk Warrior has been back in work around a month preparing for a tilt at the rich Flemington sprint double of the Lightning Stakes and the Newmarket.
He won the Newmarket first-up last year under Regan Bayliss.
“He’s cantering at this stage,” Hayes said.
“He’s coming along nicely and we’ll start building him up soon.”
Hayes is looking forward to Harlem and Ventura Storm returning after undergoing gelding operations since their spring campaigns.
Harlem won the Naturalism Stakes on his way to running in the Caulfield Cup while Ventura Storm was Lindsay Park’s Melbourne Cup hope but disappointed, finishing 21st behind Rekindling.
Both are being aimed at the Australian Cup before heading to Sydney.
“As a pair of geldings I think they’ll be running very well,” Hayes said.
“Ventura Storm will run in the Peter Young Stakes into the Australian Cup while Harlem is a bit faster.
“He’ll run first up over 1400 metres and go into the Australian Cup third-up.”
