Club confirms Japanese star's withdrawal from the feature event
Connections of Japanese miler Meiner Solomon were forced to scratch the horse from the Champions Mile yesterday morning but hope to return with the five-year-old for the Hong Kong Mile.
'In all likelihood the elevated temperature and high white cell count indicated a virus and Meiner Solomon required treatment which ruled him out,' said the Jockey Club's international racing manager, Mark Player.
'That may or may not have been to do with the horse travelling but it's a shame whatever the cause. Still, the people with Meiner Solomon handled the whole situation very professionally despite their disappointment and they did say they would love to bring him back fit and well in December.'
Meanwhile, Silent Witness's jockey, Felix Coetzee, will take two days on the bench suspended after the Champions Mile tomorrow with his appeal thrown out yesterday and the penalty of two days and $80,000 fine unchanged. The South African returns on May 22, as will New Zealander Leith Innes after deciding not to appeal against his careless riding suspension from the Pearce Memorial Challenge Cup on Wednesday night.
Innes was put out by stewards for two days and fined $10,000 after an incident soon after the start, but while he won't appeal he did seek advice from the Jockey Club on whether he could still fulfil a booking for Envoy in Monday's Group One Adelaide Cup in Australia.
'I pleaded guilty to the charge and won't appeal,' he said.
