The Caulfield Cup is off for Gingernuts but the New Zealand Derby will still come to Melbourne for one race.
Gingernuts was scheduled to contest the Group I Livamol Classic at Hastings on Saturday however, the meeting was abandoned halfway through the day when a colt slipped in the Hawkes Bay Guineas earlier.
Co-trainer Steven Autridge told The Informant on Sunday that a tilt at the Caulfield Cup is now too difficult.
"That would be too tough, too many uncertainties, we wouldn't want to put him through that," Autridge, who trains Gingernuts in partnership with Jamie Richards, said.
"Now we're hanging out for the Livamol to be run in the next fortnight, then we could go to Melbourne for the weight-for-age 2000 metres (Emirates Stakes) on the last day of Cup week."
Autridge said the positive to missing the Caulfield Cup is Gingernuts will arrive in Melbourne as a fresh horse.
"Winx would be obviously the horse they would all have to beat if they were to add the Flemington race after the Cox Plate," Autridge said.
"But I don't think that's their plan and with a bit of luck Gingernuts would have the advantage of fresh legs against horses that have been racing through the carnival."
A decision around rescheduling the Livamol Classic is expected on Monday.
