New Zealand Derby winner Vin De Dance has suffered a setback in his early preparation for the Melbourne Cup.
Co-trainer Andrew Forsman has described the concerns with Vin De Dance as “niggling issues”.
“He’s had a few gallops and was basically on track to do more but he had a few niggling issues and it was best to back off him,” Forsman said.
“He had some stiffness in his back area and just wasn’t right. He’s got time to get over the problem and he still has a chance to get to the Melbourne Cup if he comes up well enough.
“The plan is to give him 10 days off so he’ll be back in work in about a week. He won’t lose much fitness.”
Vin De Dance is a worthy contender for the $7.3 million Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington on November 6 after winning last season’s G1 New Zealand Derby (2400m) at Ellerslie and finishing fourth in both the G1 Rosehill Guineas (2000m) and G1 ATC Derby (2400m) at Randwick in two starts at the Sydney autumn carnival.
He was relegated from second in the Rosehill Guineas after a protest.
Forsman and his senior training partner Murray Baker will start their top class mare Bonneval in a trial at Avondale on Tuesday ahead of her planned return to Melbourne.
The multiple G1 winner and New Zealand Horse of the Year strained a suspensory ligament last season but has been pleasing her trainers in her build-up to the spring.
“She came in at the end of May and is great,” Forsman said.
“She will have a couple of trials then will head over to Australia.
“There’s no real rush with her. We’ll just let her get through these trials first.”
Bonneval last raced when unplaced in the Caulfield Cup (2400m) last spring after wins in the G1 Underwood Stakes (1800m) at Caulfield and G2 Feehan Stakes (1600m) at Moonee Valley.
Forsman and Baker have also entered G1 winner Saint Emilion, Highlad and the exciting three-year-old prospects Botti and Rubira for the Avondale trials.
Their 2017 ATC Derby winner Jon Snow impressed when second in a 1030m trial at Te Teko on Monday while their Sydney Cup runner-up Zacada was an eye-catching winner of his heat over 1200m.
