Top Sydney filly Horizons has suffered a setback and won't run again before the $2 million Magic Millions Classic at the Gold Coast.

Trainer Gai Waterhouse had planned to give the Choisir filly one more Sydney run before bidding for her fourth Magic Millions Classic on January 10.

Waterhouse won successive Magic Millions Classics with Assertive Lad (2000) and Excellerator (2001) before Dance Hero gave her a third victory in 2004.

Horizons, who is equal $7 second favourite with TAB Sportsbet for the 1200-metre feature, is being treated for a strained knee.

"Horizons has strained some soft tissue in her knee but it's settled down," Waterhouse said.

"She's got the prizemoney and I'll put her straight into the Magic Millions now.

"I wouldn't be taking her to the Magic Millions if I didn't think she could win."

Waterhouse said it was not an ideal program for Horizons but she "had to cut her cloth to suit" the situation.

Waterhouse said Horizons, who was an impressive last start Randwick winner on October 18, only had five days away from the track.

"The knee has settled down completely and she only had five days off," she said.

Waterhouse is yet to book a rider for Horizons in the Magic Millions Classic with stable riders Nash Rawiller and Blake Shinn both sidelined.

It was expected Chris Munce would be next in line to partner Horizons but the jockey withdrew his application for a Queensland riding licence to concentrate on re-establishing himself in Sydney racing.

Munce is not long back from a 20-month spell from racing in which time he served a jail sentence for tipping for financial gain while riding in Hong Kong.

While Waterhouse's claims on the Magic Millions have diminished slightly, rival trainer Liam Birchley received a glowing fitness report on unbeaten Queensland filly Paprika following her Eagle Farm victory on Saturday.

Birchley was concerned Paprika, $3 favourite, may have hurt her hoof after she returned to scale with a shifted shoe.

"I had the vet go all over her after her win and he couldn't find anything wrong," Birchley said.

"I was worried she may have hurt her foot after her shoe came off but there doesn't seem to be any bruising."