Champion trainer Mark Walker is stunned by his high-class mare Campionessa missing a start in Saturday’s A$3 million Australian Cup.
The greatly improved mare, who has run second in her last two Group 1s in New Zealand, has been made second emergency for the 2000m weight-for-age race so needs two scratchings before Saturday morning to make the field.
“I can’t believe it,” Walker told the Herald. “I thought they would start 18 but because the rail is out 8m there [at Flemington] on Saturday, they are only starting 16.
“That is part of the problem and another is our prize money here. Her wins or even her Group 1 seconds here haven’t put her above some horses who don’t appear to be in very good form.
“We can only hope there are two scratchings otherwise we will have to discuss our options around what to do next with the owners.”