Top West Australian galloper Marasco is a notable omission from the line-up in Saturday's Group 1 Cleanevent Manikato Stakes at Moonee Valley.
Unfortunately for trainer Fred Kersely, Marasco suffered a flesh wound on arrival of his trip from the west and will not line up this weekend but may run on Saturday week at Caulfield in the Group 1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes.
The final field for the Cleanevent Manikato Stakes, the first Group 1 of the new season, has been drawn with a full field of 14 plus four emergencies.
Mares have an excellent recent record in the race but Mick Price's chances of adding Bel Mer to the record books took a blow when drawing the extreme outside gate.
Bel Mer, a brilliant first-up winner of the Listed Seafood Stakes, returns to Group 1 class this weekend but has drawn the extreme outside in barrier 18.
The two others mares in the race, Miss Judgement and Absolut Glam, fared better in barriers 12 and 2 respectively.
Mares have won seven of the last 10 runnings of the race.
Moonee Valley's horse of the year, Kaphero, is out to make it six wins on end and five straight at the track when he tackles this weekend's tough contest.
He has drawn well in barrier eight for regular rider Vlad Duric.
