3 minute read

Crack two-year-old Santos and Country Championship contender Kopi Luwak have been withdrawn from their engagements at the Randwick autumn carnival.

The Gai Waterhouse/Adrian Bott stable has advised that Santos has been sent for a spell following his disappointing 13th in the Golden Slipper Stakes at Rosehill last Saturday.

Santos won the Pierro Plate and G2 Skyline Stakes prior to the Golden Slipper.

He joins a big number of Golden Slipper runners who will miss the Randwick carnival, including the winner Estijaab, Sunlight and Written By.

Hawkes Racing took a few days before deciding on Thursday that Estijaab should be spelled.

Estijaab and Santos have been withdrawn from the G1 ATC Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) at Randwick on Saturday week.

Goulburn trainer Danny Williams has advised Racing NSW stewards that Kopi Luwak has sustained bruising to both front feet and has developed an abscess on the near-fore foot which has burst.

Williams advised that stable vet Dr David Garth had certified that the lightly-raced gelding is unfit to start in the $500,000 Country Championships Final at Randwick on Saturday week and has subsequently been withdrawn.

His scratching gives his stablemate Acquittal, the third placegetter in the SERA Country Championship Qualifier at Goulburn last month won by Kopi Luwak, a start in the final.

With a place in the final assured Acquittal will be withdrawn from the Country Championships Wild Card at Muswellbrook on Sunday.