Passchendaele out of Auckland Cup

Auckland Cup favourite Passchendaele will undergo a different operation than the special one she had planned at Ellerslie tomorrow.

Operation Win-the-Auckland Cup is now off Matamata stayer Passchendaele's agenda and instead of contesting tomorrow's $1 million Auckland Cup, Passchendaele will today undergo surgery to insert a screw into the bottom of her hind leg cannon bone.

The Waikato Times Gold Cup winner was found to be lame after her final training gallop at Matamata yesterday and was later diagnosed with a hairline fracture of her cannon bone.

Trainer John Sargent was today understandably upset about the injury but he was taking consolation in still having two good chances in the 3200m feature  new favourite Heza Karma Karzi and 2008 Wellington Cup winner Young Centaur.

''She galloped brilliantly yesterday morning and we gave her breakfast and time to get over it and it was only when we were taking her out to the paddock for the day that we noticed she was lame,'' Sargent said today.

''It's a big loss but I've still got another two runners. Heza Karma Karzi was always the horse for Passchendaele to beat anyhow and Young Centaur has done the trip before.

''You'd rather this wouldn't happen, especially to a horse like her, but we're still hoping she might be all right for the spring.''

Passchendaele had ranked as New Zealand's best chance for this year's A$6 million Melbourne Cup (3200m) in November but winning tomorrow's race would have ensured her of a start, rather than meaning she still needs to produce a qualifying performance in her spring leadup racing, which could yet still be in doubt anyway.

Meanwhile, former New Zealand galloper Capecover won yesterday's A$400,000 Adelaide Cup.

- © Fairfax NZ News