KEY POINTS:
The attrition rate in group one racing is Australia is fierce.
It's cost the Matamata pair of Red Ruler a spot in the Melbourne Cup and it cost Red Ruler and Princess Coup money in Saturday's A$750,000 Mackinnon Stakes.
Despite advising rider Corey Brown to take an alternative ride in the Melbourne Cup, John Sargent would still have run Red Ruler in tomorrow's Cup had he won the Mackinnon.
He ran a very disappointing seventh and Brown advised Sargent to miss the Cup. "He's a bit busy in his races," Brown told Sargent.
"He does a few things wrong - it's really that he's a year away."
Sargent wasn't surprised by the comments.
"It was always on the cards that it was a year too soon for him," said Sargent.
The Matamata trainer said he will still press on with plans to run Red Ruler in Saturday week's Sandown Classic.
"He can then go into quarantine and head home for a break."
Red Ruler looked likely when Brown moved him around the leaders on the home bend, but when he let the horse down there was nothing there.
Princess Coup settled well back on the rails and failed to run on.
There was something of a bias against the back runners in many of the races on Saturday, but that was not what beat Princess Coup.
Mark Walker said he had a sneaking feeling the mare may have had one run too many this campaign and new rider Craig Newitt confirmed it.
Shaune Ritchie wasn't quite sure what to make of Craig Williams' comment when he hopped off the back of My Scotsgrey after an unplaced but respectable effort in Saturday's Victoria Derby.
"Craig said: 'he'll be back here next year this horse'.
"I'm hoping he was referring to the Melbourne Cup."
Ritchie didn't want to confirm that in case he was embarrassed.
"I noticed at the barriers something happened quickly and the clerk of the course's horse shied and my bloke didn't even turn his head.
"Maybe Craig was suggesting he might be back next year as the clerk of the course - he is grey after all."
