Saturday's Randwick meeting has lost one of its major drawcards with star galloper Racing To Win scratched from the Chipping Norton Stakes.
Trainer John O'Shea reported his multiple Group One winner had suffered a minor injury to his off-fore joint on Thursday morning, forcing his withdrawal.
"He's got a bit of filling in one joint so I've scratched him," O'Shea said.
"We'll just take our time with him but hopefully it's not too serious."
O'Shea remains optimistic Racing To Win will be able to continue his autumn campaign in the coming weeks.
It has been a rough week for the Randwick trainer who had been hoping to aim his stable star at next month's
Doncaster Handicap before the gelding was given 60.5kg when weights were released earlier this week.
O'Shea said he would not start Racing To Win in the feature mile with that impost.
The Champions Mile in Hong Kong on April 27 was shaping as a possible alternative but whether Racing To Win's latest setback rules him out of an overseas campaign remains to be seen.
"It's too early to make those decisions yet, we'll play it by ear," O'Shea said.
Racing To Win had been the odds-on favourite for the Chipping Norton and his withdrawal forced a major reshuffle of markets with Tuesday Joy promoted to the head of betting at $4.
Glenn Munsie, spokesman for TAB Sportsbet, said the star galloper's absence had thrown the Group One race wide open.
"It will be a more competitive race and a better guide to what happens over the rest of the carnival," Munsie said.
"With Racing To Win there, everyone else was in a battle for second, now first prize is up for grabs.
"Racing To Win was going to stifle the betting but now punters are sitting back and having another look at the race.
"There is nothing between the first four in betting."
Casino Prince, returning from a Melbourne campaign, is the $4.60 second elect with Honor In War at $5 and Stradbroke Handicap winner Sniper's Bullet at $5.50.