The four-year-old Fort Wood gelding, Saddlewood, has been scratched from the R500 000 Grade 1 Canon Gold Cup to be run at Greyville Racecourse on 6 August. He was third in the SABC Sport Gold Vase at Greyville on Vodacom Durban July Day and the winner of his three previous races including the Gold Bowl at Turffontein.

Trainer Geoff Woodruff, who also revealed that his star three-year-old gelding, Dunsinane, would not race again, said Saddlewood had chipped a knee in training. He also stated that his six-year-old Argentinean-bred gelding, Eventuail, who finished third place in the Vodacom Durban July, would not take part in the R500 000 Grade 1 Champions Cup on All Stars Day at Clairwood on 30 July.

“He ran a great race in the July and that’s enough for now. We will give him a rest and get him ready for the Summer Cup.”

Woodruff said Dunsinane’s injury had been severe. “He fractured a sesamoid and his racing career is over. He was galloped into during race which may have contributed to the injury. We will get him better and try to make a nice riding horse out of him.”