Racing: Just An Excuse struck down

A veterinary inspection on Sunday will determine whether New Zealand Cup hero Just An Excuse gets his chance at a threepeat on Tuesday.

The great pacer's Cup chances have been left in tatters by a shock bleeding attack after an otherwise sparkling workout in Canterbury.

Trainer Robert Mitchell went from beaming at how smoothly Just An Excuse had worked to being devastated when he jumped out of the sulky to see blood dripping from both the pacer's nostrils.

"I couldn't believe it," said Mitchell. "He has never bled before or even looked like it would be a problem. There is no reason why it would happen now. I am just gutted."

Just An Excuse is looking to achieve harness racing's version of Makybe Diva's remarkable three Melbourne Cups after having defeated champion Elsu in the last two New Zealand Cups.

Mitchell said a decision on whether he got that chance would be made on Sunday.

"I will give him a light workout on Sunday and then the Addington vet will scope him to see if he has any bleeding problems again," said the Raglan-based trainer.

"If he doesn't then we will almost certainly start. If he does then he will be scratched straight away."

The vet who tended to Just An Excuse yesterday told Mitchell the gelding could bleed again next week or never again.

"There is no real way of predicting," Mitchell said, "and apart from having a couple of quiet days now there isn't a lot more we can do.

"But all his fans can rest assured, he won't start unless we are sure he is all right."

The attack couldn't have come at a worse time for Mitchell as he has dreamed of Just An Excuse emulating Indianapolis and False Step and becoming only the third triple winner of the New Zealand Cup.

"This was the one we really wanted and while I hate to see him have any setback it would have been a lot easier to cop in a week's time."

The incident came just 14 hours after cup favourite Mi Muchacho also suffered a setback in the official cup trial at Addington.

He galloped twice in that trial and suffered a small cut below his near-front knee.

That is not expected to keep him out of Tuesday's $400,000 classic but his trials performance has lessened the respect factor he had just a few days ago, with several key rival drivers telling the Herald last night they are no longer afraid of Mi Muchacho.

While news of the dual disasters swept through the harness racing industry the TAB markets on the cup altered little.

"We are into final field betting now so if any horse is scratched the dividends for the others will decrease anyway," explained head racing bookmaker Paul Lally.

"For example, if Just An Excuse is scratched, any fixed-odds bets placed as of this morning [Thursday] will reduce by about 15 per cent in payout to make up for his deductions.

"So we have pretty much left the market alone until we know whether he is starting or not."

The big money this week has been for Mainland Banner, with the southern glamour mare shortening into $7 on the back of her rival's bad luck.

Bleeding hell

* Two-time New Zealand Cup champion Just An Excuse may miss Tuesday's race.

* The giant pacer suffered a bleeding attack in training yesterday morning.

* Trainer Robert Mitchell will make a final decision on Sunday on whether the gelding starts.

* Officials are aware of the problem and will examine Just An Excuse after Sunday's workout.

The latest market for the race is.- $5 Mi Muchacho; $5.50 Alta Serena, Just An Excuse; $7 Mainland Banner; $10 Bobs Blue Boy; $11 Howard Bromac; $12 Harnetts Creek, Likmesiah; $17 Myron; $25 Born Again Christian; $28 White Arrow; $30 London Legend; $40 Presido, Scorching; $80 Bella's Boy, Jackson Browne; $125 Linford Christie, Kiwi Kosby.