REIGNING Bendigo Horse of the Year winner Master’s Degree is out of this Saturday’s Moonee Valley Cup (2500m).
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Trainer Steven Lake has been forced to change the spring plans for his stable star after the five-year-old pulled up sore from his last run at Flemington.
“The last run shook him up a bit,’’ Lake said.
“The good three at Flemington really shook him up and I had to treat him for that the following week.
“Then he caught a cold which has put him out for a couple of weeks.
“He’s just got over that, so now it’s a matter of getting him healthy again and we’ll have to reassess where we send him.”
Lake’s spring plan was to race Master’s Degree in Saturday’s Moonee Valley Cup and in the Carnival Handicap (2800m) on Melbourne Cup day.
“It’s disappointing not to be taking him to the races we wanted to, but we still have our horse and that’s the main thing,’’ Lake said.
“At this stage his next run will be the Ararat Cup (2000m) on November 9.
“Then we might head towards the Werribee Cup (2600m).
“The other option is the Moonee Valley night series.”
Master’s Degree thrives at Moonee Valley, having won under lights on the circuit last summer.
Lake’s long-term goal for Master’s Degree is next year’s Adelaide Cup (3200m).
While Master’s Degree is out of the Moonee Valley Cup, Bendigo looks set to have one runner in the race, with Anudjawun among the entries for the Group Two race.
The Shaun Dwyer-trained galloper beat home Master’s Degree at Flemington last start.
The other option for Dwyer is to save Anudjawun for the Jayco Bendigo Cup (2400m) on Wednesday week.