KEY POINTS:
Dave McGowan says he felt good about scratching One Dream from the Harness Jewels - saying his glamour mare's health is far more important than a $200,000 race.
The one-time favourite was pulled out yesterday after developing complications with the leg that has kept her out of racing since January.
McGowan and wife Clare had battled to get One Dream back to the track since the mare developed a tendon problem.
Only this week she was hampered by a hoof injury in the same problem leg.
McGowan said: "We got on top of both of those problems but the latest scan showed she has fluid in the leg. It is in a different area but obviously it has come about as a complication from her other problems in that leg.
"She is not sore and seems sound but I simply couldn't take the risk of starting her. If she broke down, I would never forgive myself.
"So scratching her was the right thing to do and for that reason I feel good about it. Although obviously we are disappointed."
One Dream will head straight to the spelling paddock and McGowan believes she will return to racing next season.
"We haven't discussed retirement and I don't see this being a long-term issue for her.
"We are disappointed that we put all this effort in but we have to rehab the injury at some stage and we have done that so hopefully she will come back next season sound and we can start again."
One Dream's withdrawal saw Nearea Franco, who started the season unraced, come into $1.35 favouritism for the opening race today.
But it also raised the question of why the emergencies were officially scratched on Thursday night.
That means Everlaughing Life was forced out early - had the ballots come out as normal, on race morning, she would have got into the field after One Dream scratched.
With every Jewels starter guaranteed $5000, she has effectively been cost that amount - but because she was drawn barrier one, she could well have finished in the first three, meaning the premature scratchings rule has potentially cost her a lot more.
