Anders, the pre-post favourite for this Friday’s $1m G1 Charter Keck Cramer Moir Stakes (1000m) at Moonee Valley, has been ruled out of the race with an untimely setback.
A day after David Eustace, training partner of Ciaron Maher, told Racing.com that Anders would gallop at The Valley on Monday morning, the stable issued a statement on Sunday evening scrapping those plans.
“It is with great disappointment to announce Anders has had a temperature over the weekend, which has been monitored closely,” the statement read.
“Although not of serious nature, it is enough to miss his gallop at Moonee Valley tomorrow and in turn the Moir Stakes next Friday night.
“This is extremely disappointing for his existing owners including Aquis and Widden Stud as we felt the Moir was a race to prove his Group 1 ability to the racing public.
“However we are very confident of him doing that in future targets during spring, with the The Everest and Coolmore ahead.
“With it only being a minor setback, we will now focus on getting him right for those races.”
Craig Williams was booked to ride Anders in the Moir Stakes at 52kg in the weight-for-age contest.
Anders has raced eight times for four wins and two placings, twice leading throughout last month for convincing victories in the Listed $140,000 Rosebud (1100m) and most recently in the G3 San Domenico Stakes (1100m) at Rosehill on August 29.
The Not A Single Doubt colt raced by Aquis was purchased by Widden Stud last Wednesday, securing his future post-racing with any Group 1 wins prior to his retirement increasing his value in the breeding barn.
The Moir Stakes will be run as the second-last of eight races from The Valley on Friday night at 8:15pm (AEST) with the meeting starting at 5:15pm.
– racing.com
