Racing: Australian pacing great out of NZ Cup

Australian pacing great I'm Themightyquinn is out of next month's New Zealand Cup after a shock injury. Photo / Dean Purcell.

Australian pacing great I'm Themightyquinn is out of next month's New Zealand Cup after a shock injury.

The A$4.3million earner was to have returned to his country of birth for the $650,000 Cup at Addington on November 12 but the trip has now been scrapped.

The nine-year-old resumed with a brave second after being attacked in front in Perth on last night but pulled up lame after the race.

His trainer Gary Hall says the exact nature of the soreness in a hind leg may not be known for a few days but his New Zealand and Sydney campaigns next month are almost certainly over.

"He is about a 6 out of 10 sore in that leg and I don't have a good feeling about it," said Hall.

"He will miss a race here next week and for that reason won't be fit enough to head to the New Zealand Cup (Nov 12).

"And the Miracle Mile is then basically out too.

"To be honest, I think he will need a course of treatment and I think he will end up staying here over the summer and maybe we can get back to Sydney for the Interdom in March."

I'm Themightyquinn has won three Inter Dominions but has never contested a New Zealand Cup, one of the iconic races in harness racing worldwide.

After starting his career in New Zealand he was sold to clients of Hall's stable as a three-year-old and has been a sensation since.

He has already won two Auckland Cups back in New Zealand but a New Zealand Cup win next month would have capped one of the great careers in harness racing.

Meanwhile, Canterbury pacer Christen Me remained favourite for the New Zealand Cup after beating Terror To Love in a star-studded race at Addington on Friday night.