Racing: Unlucky mare forced out of Zabeel Classic

If there was doubt Filante Etoile is New Zealand's unluckiest top-class racehorse it was eliminated yesterday when filling in a tendon forced her withdrawal from Monday's $200,000 Zabeel Classic at Ellerslie.

A hugely disappointed trainer Richard Yuill said he did not know the mare's future because he had not discussed the matter with Filante Etoile's owners Peter and Philip Vela.

"She's not sore and she hasn't broken down, but if I raced her she would break down," said Yuill.

Filante Etoile looked a huge chance to get the immensely important group one victory that was denied her when a wide barrier put her out of contention in the recent Avondale Cup.

Filante Etoile covered a lot of extra ground in that race and rider Grant Cooksley claimed she might still have won but for getting shunted almost off the track on the home corner.

She then drew wide in the Waikato Cup, got a nice run around the first bend and was pushed out three wide.

That allowed the favourite and eventual winner, Kerry O'Reilly, the perfect drag into the race. Little separated the pair at the finish of the $100,000 event.

"I thought she was an absolute certainty on Monday," said Yuill.

"I would not have swapped her chances for the world. She was flying in training since the Waikato Cup."