TASMANIAN star Triedtotellya is out of Friday night’s $1.25 million Group 1 Nullarbor at Gloucester Park.
Managing owner Braden Howlett said he was gutted after having to abort the mission.
“The bottom line is, the horse hasn’t been himself or eaten since arriving in Perth last Friday. He can’t run this week,” he said.
“We’ve taken bloods from him today to try and find out what it is and where we go from here.”
Howlett is clinging to the hope they can salvage something from the trip by contesting Friday week’s $300,000 Group 1 Fremantle Cup.
“But even that’s just a maybe,” he said. “The blood test would need to come back good and the horse will need to be eating properly and right back to himself by Wednesday, or we’ll scrap that, too.”
Triedtotellya was seen as a real X-factor in the Nullarbor as Tasmania’s best pacer since dual Inter Dominion winner Beautide a decade ago.
Trained and driven by Rohan Hillier, the gelding boasts 19 wins from 26 starts, including 11 of his past 13, and almost $280,000 in prize money.
This was to be Triedtotellya’s first start outside of his home state.
He will be replaced in Jim and Willie Giumelli’s Swandoo Racing slot by in-form local Hugotastic.
Triedtotellya’s scratching leaves just three interstate raiders in the Nullarbor: star Victorian veteran Bulletproof Boy, evergreen NSW star Max Delight and emerging NSW pacer Ubetcha Tigerpie.
Ahead of tomorrow’s (Tuesday) barrier draw, the market is dominated by star locals Minstrel ($2.40) and Magnificent Storm ($3.50).
They underline the remarkable veteran dominance of the race.
Both Minstrel and Magnificent Storm are nine, while the next in betting, Bulletproof Boy ($5) and Max Delight ($7.50), are 11 and 10-year-old respectively.
Trainer-driver Mick Stanley is growing in confidence Ubetcha Tigerpie can add to his giant-killer status after denying Captains Knock a $1 million bonus by beating him in the Renshaw Cup at Penrith last month.
“He was enormous that night and I swear his work is even better since,” he said.
“He handled the trip across by far the best of the four (eastern state pacers) and Dad (Ian Stanley) said he couldn’t have settled in better.
“Outside of the top two locals, the race thins out and I think we’ll be right in it.
“I’d a love to draw to sit behind the leader or be not far off them in the running line because he’ll love a solid tempo and be strong late.
“It would be perfect to have Magnificent Storm and Minstrel going hard at each other and have the last crack at them.”
