Vow And Declare to miss carnival

THE 2019 Melbourne Cup winner Vow And Declare will miss the rest of the spring through injury.

Vow And Declare’s part-owner Geoff Corrigan reported the sixyear-old had sustained a tendon injury, which would require a long period of rest and rehabilitation.

The Danny O’brien-trained stayer was scheduled to return to Flemington for Saturday’s Group 3 The Bart Cummings for his third run back from a spell.

O’brien said Vow And Declare’s injury was minor but the gelding needed to immediately start his rehabilitation.

The trainer said the problem would not need much treatment but the process would mean Vow And Declare would not return to the races at least until the end of the autumn.

“It’s at the minor end of the scale but it’s enough to stop with him for this spring,” O’brien said.

“It’s a very small hole but he can’t go any further this spring and he’s starting rehab today (Tuesday).”

Corrigan said Vow And Declare would be retired if he did not “measure up” after his rehabilitation period.

Vow And Declare’s setback left last year’s Victoria Derby winner Young Werther as the O’brien stable’s top hope for the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups.

TAB has Young Werther at $17 in its Caulfield Cup market and $51 in Melbourne Cup betting.

Those odds could shorten if Young Werther wins or runs well in Saturday’s Group 1 Turnbull Stakes (2000m) at Flemington.

“He was always going to run in the Turnbull and that will tell us where we’re at,” O’brien said.

Vow And Declare.