By MIKE DILLON
Showella has gone amiss and has been withdrawn from the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups.
The outstanding Takanini mare was found yesterday to have ligament strain and will be flown home immediately.
Showella was replaced as Caulfield and Melbourne Cups favourite after finishing a dismal 10th in Saturday's $A350,000 Underwood Stakes at Caulfield.
Nothing amiss was immediately obvious and the ligament damage was discovered by Melbourne vet Ross Teitzel yesterday.
"At least we now know why she went so badly on Saturday,"said co-trainer Frank Ritchie, who returned home after the race.
Teitzel told Ritchie Showella's strain is not at the top end of serious.
"He said she could probably continue to race if the problem was managed, but we're not interested in that, she will be flown home on Sunday and spelled."
The injury is a replica of what hampered Melbourne Cup winner Let's Elope.
"She came back racing within three months, which I have to say astounded me, and she never showed signs of the problem again," said Teitzel.
He has put Showella's chance of a recurrence at 30 per cent.
Saturday's rider Patrick Payne, having his first raceday experience of the mare, told Ritchie Showella had not been entirely comfortable around the home turn on Saturday.
"But I thought at the time that was probably because it was Caulfield - horses can do that at Caulfield."
It is likely Showella will be aimed at a possible return to the Sydney autumn canival, where she raced well but with little luck earlier this year.
Fellow Kiwi stayer Kaapstad Way is now clear-cut Caulfield Cup favourite at 7-1 with Double Bet. Freemason is second favourite at 8-1 followed by Hill Of Grace and Fairway on 10-1, Mont Rocher at 14-1 and Pravda and Skoozi Please on 16-1.
* In a tragic loss, top winter galloper Chase Alida was put down following a race in Melbourne on Sunday.
The Markella gelding's Waikato part-owner, John Oatham, said jockey Nash Rawiller felt the horse falter about 200m from the finish and it was discovered afterwards he had fractured a fetlock.
Chase Alida won eight races from the Cambridge stable of Danny Oatham, including the 1999 Cornwall Handicap at Ellerslie.
He was transferred to Victorian trainer Len Treloar this winter and scored his most valuable win in a $A40,000 race at Flemington earlier this month.
* A lacklustre training gallop has convinced connections of Cheiron to abandon his spring campaign.
Cheiron had been on a second chance to race in either the group one $250,000 Kelt Capital Stakes at Hastings on Saturday or the $A600,000 Epsom Handicap in Sydney next Monday.
But those thoughts were dismissed after a workout yesterday. Rider Thomas Russell reported Cheiron worked without any dash, according to trainer Bruce Marsh.
"He said he feels like he needs an energy booster," said Marsh.
Cheiron will be turned out and aimed at the Waikato Sprint in February.
Racing: Showella to miss Cups after injury
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