Fawkner has not been included in the 2014 Zipping Classic field and only nine gallopers will contest the Group 2 event at Sandown on Saturday.
Sea Moon is one of two Lloyd Williams-owned gallopers that have been included in the 2014 Zipping Classic field. Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia
Lloyd Williams included Fawkner in the nominations for the Zipping Classic that were released on Monday and said that the Cox Plate runner-up was a 50/50 chance to run in the $350,000 race, but he confirmed this morning that the talented gelding had not been included in the acceptances.
While Fawkner has not been included in the Zipping Classic field, Williams will still have the chance to win the race for the sixth time in eight years after both Green Moon and Sea Moon were included in the acceptances.
Green Moon missed the Group 1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) due to a cracked hoof, but finished a credible ninth in the Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2400m), while Sea Moon has failed to fire in his two race starts this preparation and was scratched from the Melbourne Cup due to an elevated temperature.
The only horse set to back-up in the in the Zipping Classic after running in the Melbourne Cup is OTI Racing-owned Au Revoir, who will be having his third race start in Australia.
Au Revoir made his Australian racing debut with a credible third in the Group 2 Moonee Valley Gold Cup (2500m) on October 25 before he stayed on strongly to finish a credible eighth behind Protectionist in the Melbourne Cup.
Prince Of Penzance defeated Au Revoir to win the Moonee Valley Gold Cup and the Darren Weir-trained gelding will have the chance to return to winning form this weekend after being included in the 2014 Zipping Classic field.
The Pentire gelding was well-backed in the lead-up to the Group 3 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2600m) at Flemington on November 8 and he looked like the winner when he loomed up at the 200 metre mark, but was unable to go past Le Roi in the final stages of the race.
One of the most interesting runners in the Zipping Classic field is imported galloper Spillway, who will be stepping up to 2400 metres for the first time since he failed to fire in the Group 1 The Metropolitan (2400m) at Royal Randwick on October 4.
Spillway returned to his best form when he finished fourth in the Group 1 Mackinnon Stakes (2000m) at Flemington on Victoria Derby Day, but there are still question marks over the ability of the Rail Link entire to run out a strong 2400 metres.
The four-year-old will be joined in the race by stablemate Rawnaq, while the 2014 Zipping Classic field is rounded out by Matt Laurie-trained Rialya, imported galloper Count Of Limonade and consistent mare Epingle.
