"We just can't get him right," said John Dunn. "We keep patching him up and while his issue [fetlock joint] isn't serious at all, he has lost his confidence.
"He is only a young horse and we have to do the right thing by him so hopefully he can come back for the big races in the autumn."
While Sundees Son is out of the Dominion, hot favourite Oscar Bonavena still faces a huge task starting from the unruly in a capacity field, with his three main rivals in Marcoola (barrier one), Tough Monarch (six) and McLovin (10) all drawn the front line.
The Dunns will have two reps in the $200,000 NZ Pacing Free-For-All and luckless NZ Cup placegetter Classie Brigade drawn the ace.
"I am not sure he would have won the Cup had we got clearer earlier but he would have got a lot closer," Dunn says of Tuesday's third.
Dunn says he has the gate speed to try and lead tomorrow's 1980m group one and if he was able to hold the front early he would want to stay there, as he did in the Kaikoura Cup 10 days ago.
"But it may not be that easy. Cruz Bromac gets off the gate really fast, but I will be trying to hold him."
Cruz Bromac (six) has drawn inside Spankem (seven) and the tactics of that pair, who led and won the NZ Free-For-All and Miracle Mile respectively last season, will play a huge role in tomorrow's outcome.
NZ Free-For-All
Addington tomorrow
Race 11, 5.48pm, $200,000, mobile 1980m
Classie Brigade (1), Chase Auckland (2), Our Uncle Sam (3), Henry Hubert (4), A G's White Socks (5), Cruz Bromac (6), Spankem (7), Nandolo (8), Thefixer (9).
