Racing: Viewed out until spring after contracting virus

MELBOURNE - Viewed has become the latest big name casualty of the autumn racing carnival after being ruled out with a virus.

The 2008 Melbourne Cup winner was vetted after his lacklustre ninth to La Rocket in the St George Stakes at Caulfield last Saturday.

Tests revealed he was suffering from a virus which required treatment and trainer Bart Cummings, after consultation with the entire's owner Dato Tan Chin Nam, decided the best option was to spell him.

The Cummings stable has already lost Cox Plate winner So You Think for the autumn after the master trainer was not completely satisfied with the colt.

However, the setbacks to both stars are not serious and Cummings' stable representative Bill Charles is already looking ahead with optimism.

"The good thing is both of them will be back in force in the spring," he said.

A brilliant winner of the Caulfield Cup in October, Viewed had been among nominations for the Australian Cup at Flemington as well as the Doncaster Mile and BMW in Sydney.

He joins a handful of stars already sidelined for the autumn, including undefeated Victorian filly Black Caviar, multiple group one winner Weekend Hussler and up-and-coming stayer Shamoline Warrior.

Viewed's stablemate Toorak Handicap winner Allez Wonder will miss Saturday's Millie Fox Stakes and be saved for Chipping Norton Stakes Day.

Charles said the stable did not want to ask the mare to lump a big weight at what would have been her first start since she was unplaced in Shocking's Melbourne Cup.

Allez Wonder has been given topweight of 60kg for the Millie Fox (1300m) at Rosehill with winner Neroli (59kg) and Queenslander Chakvetadze (55kg) the only other two of the 14 nominations not on the 53kg limit.

"It's too much weight," Charles said."She won't run with 60 kilos.

"We'll run her the following week in the Liverpool City Cup and then she'll go on to the Coolmore."

Allez Wonder won the Toorak in the spring when she started at $41 before finishing eighth to stablemate Viewed in the Caulfield Cup and 16th in the Melbourne Cup.

Cummings will still be represented at Rosehill with emerging talent Griffon on track to take his place in a Benchmark 85 Hcp (1200m).

The 4-year-old has won both starts from a spell, including a first-up victory on the Randwick Kensington track where he set a course record for 1100m. He made the transition to Saturday company when he won at Rosehill earlier this month.

- AAP