One-time boom sprinter Deep Field could back up for the third week in-a-row in Friday’s Group 1 William Reid Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley.
Wearing blinkers for the first time, the Team Hawkes-trained four-year-old dropped out to finish 11th in the Group 1 The Galaxy (1100m) at Rosehill in Sydney on Saturday.
Though Deep Field received a bump at the 200m mark, a post-race veterinary inspection did not reveal any abnormalities.
Co-trainer Wayne Hawkes told Racing New South Wales stewards after the race the blinkers would likely be removed from the son of Northern Meteor and that if the stable were pleased with how the horse pulled up they would press on to the William Reid.
Unbeaten in his first five starts, culminating in an impressive win in the Group 2 tab.com.au Stakes (1200m) at Flemington in November, Deep Field was sent out the favourite in last month’s Group 1 Black Caviar Lightning (1000m) at Flemington in which he finished third.
He was then narrowly beaten as an odds-on favourite in the Group 3 Maurice McCarten Stakes (1100m) at Rosehill, before again going down as the favourite in The Galaxy.
Should Deep Field take his place in the William Reid, his likely rivals could include Rebel Dane, Earthquake, Angelic Light, Famous Seamus, Vain Queen, Fontelina, Trust In A Gust, Bel Sprinter and It Is Written. (www.racing.com)