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Early favourite Jackson is most unlikely to be ready for the G1 Vodacom Durban July and could be scratched as early as this week.

However, all is not lost for the four-year-old, who has not raced since the J&B Met.

He missed last week’s Pinnacle Stakes and is not among the original entries for Saturday week’s Rising Sun Gold Challenge, his original target.

Trainer Brett Crawford said: “Jackson is now coming right and he is doing very well but he won’t be ready for the Gold Challenge and we are running out of time to prep him for the July.

“I think it’s 90 percent that the July is not going to happen with him and we are not going to keep the public hanging on.

"We will probably make a decision within the next week.

“It is in the horse’s interests to only bring him back when he is ready, and we certainly don’t want to force him.

"However he will be ready for the Champions Cup at Greyville on July 27 and he could have a prep run in the Mercury Sprint at Clairwood a fortnight before that.”

Last year’s Investec Cape Derby and Daily News winner has drifted steadily from second favourite for the July to his present 20-1 as the doubts increase.

Stable companion Thunder Dance, also a dual G1 winner, remains on course for a prep run at Turffontein next month before the Garden Province on July day.

She was to have been the star attraction at last Thursday’s Cape mare sale at Worcester but was withdrawn when Klawervlei boss John Koster reached agreement over price and bought out fellow joint owner Ian Longmore.