Defcon has been scratched from the 2016 Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Prelude and he is set to remain in Sydney for the remainder of his autumn campaign.
Defcon was beaten by Tessera when he made his racing debut in the 2016 Canonbury Stakes. Photo by: Steve Hart
Defcon was set to make his Melbourne racing debut in the Group 3 Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Prelude For Colts And Geldings (1100m) at Caulfield tomorrow, but Team Snowden elected not to send the talented colt to Melbourne after a blood test found a little bit of mucus in the system of the son of Choisir.
The talented juvenile was sent to remain in Melbourne for the Group 1 Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on February 27, but Snowden will now significantly alter his plans.
Defcon will contest a barrier trial over 900 metres at Rosehill Gardens on Monday if Snowden is confident that he is over the minor setback and will likely contest the Group 2 Silver Slipper Stakes (1100m) at Rosehill Gardens on February 20 before pressing on to the Group 1 Golden Slipper (1200m) at the same venue on March 19.
The James Harron Bloodstock-trained galloper stamped himself as a horse to follow when he recorded a most impressive barrier trial victory over 838 metres at Royal Randwick on September 21, but Team Snowden elected to send him to the spelling paddock without having a race start.
Defcon returned to the trials again on January 4 and January 19 before he made his racing debut in the Group 3 Canonbury Stakes (1100m) at Rosehill Gardens on January 30.
He was a drifter in the lead-up to the Canonbury Stakes, but he loomed up as the winner at the 200 metre mark before he ran out of fitness and was passed late by Godolphin-owned Tessera.
Flying Artie is now available at 2016 Blue Diamond Prelude odds of $4.40 with Ladbrokes and he is a narrow favourite from Weatherly ($4.80), Star Turn ($5.50) and Cohesion ($7.50).
Defcon is priced at 2016 Golden Slipper odds of $21 with Ladbrokes, while stablemate Capitalist ($4) remains a clear favourite from Extreme Choice ($6.50), Astern ($11), Calliope ($13) and Honesty Prevails ($13).
