Trainer Tony McEvoy has revealed that Mouro will miss the 2015 Hawkesbury Gold Cup after he showed signs of a joint problem during trackwork this morning.
Mouro has been ruled out of the 2015 Hawkesbury Gold Cup due to a joint injury. Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia
Mouro was set to make his first appearance at the races since he finished sixth behind Dylanson in the Listed CS Hayes Memorial Cup (1600m) at Morphettville on March 9, but McEvoy told Sky Racing HQ this morning that he was far from happy with the trackwork of the six-year-old this morning and he said that the imported galloper was now showing signs of the tendon issues that have plagued him during his racing career to date.
“Mouro just hasn’t come through his gallop very well this morning,” McEvoy said.
“I have just been looking at my horses now and I am not that happy with him, so he won’t be running.
“It is his action – he has pulled up a little bit sore and I don’t like the look of one of his joints.
“He has had trouble with his joints his whole life and it looks like it has gone far enough with that joint at the moment.”
McEvoy looked set to have two runners in the 2015 Hawkesbury Gold Cup after he included both Mouro and Evangelist in the nominations for the Group 3 event, but he could be left without a runner if the race that is forecast hits the Hawkesbury track before Saturday.
Evangelist performed fairly in both the CS Hayes Memorial Cup and the Listed Yalumba Golden Mile (1600m) at Bendigo on March 21, but he failed to fire when he was sent to Queensland for the Listed Logic Tails Stakes (1630m) at Doomben on April 11.
McEvoy said that he remains keen to run Evangelist in the CS Hayes Memorial Cup despite his Hawkesbury Gold Cup flop, but he said that he would be forced to save the Oasis Dream gelding for the Scone Cup on May 16 if the Hawkesbury track did not dry out before Saturday.
“He needs good ground,” McEvoy said.
“I want to run him in the Cup, but if it is wet he will have to wait until Scone.
“I will try and get him there.”
Although he could be without a runner in the Hawkesbury Gold Cup, McEvoy is still set to have a number of runners in action this weekend after he included Chastened and You Are Golden in The Darley Crown entries, Martine in the Hawkesbury Guineas nominations and Iconic in the Hawkesbury Rush.
