Classy mare Catkins has been scratched from the 2014 Dane Ripper Stakes that will be run at Eagle Farm tomorrow.

Catkins will not run in the 2014 Dane Ripper Stakes at Eagle Farm on Saturday. Photo by: Steve Hart

Catkins was a clear favourite in betting markets for the Dane Ripper Stakes, that has been won by stablemate Red Tracer in the past two years, but was removed from the field for the Group 2 event this morning on vets advice.

The Dubawi mare has not been seen at the races since she finished a disappointing sixth in the Group 1 Queen Of The Turf Stakes (1600m) at Royal Randwick on April 19, but performed fairly in two barrier trials at Warwick Farm on May 19 and Rosehill Gardens on May 27.

Catkins was expected to back-up in the Group 1 Tattersall’s Tiara (1400m) at Eagle Farm on June 21 and, at this stage, her status for the Group 1 event is unknown.

Catkins started her 2014 Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival campaign with back-to-back wins in the Group 2 Breeders Classic (1200m) at Rosehill Gardens on February 15 and the Group 3 Wiggle Stakes (1400m) at Warwick Farm on March 8 before lumping the top weight of 58 kilograms to a brave third place finish in the Group 1 Coolmore Classic (1500m) at Rosehill Gardens on March 22.

The Chris Waller-trained galloper returned to winning form with a comfortable win at short odds in the Group 2 Emancipation Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill Gardens on April 5 and was well-backed to score her maiden win at Group 1 level in the Queen Of The Turf Stakes (1600m), but was one of the first horses beaten and faded to finish sixth.

Waller said yesterday that he was happy with the condition of Catkins going into the Dane Ripper Stakes and was confident that the four-year-old would prove tough to beat in the $200,000 race tomorrow.