Oaks-bound filly Melito is trainer Gerald Ryan's sole hope of spring Group One riches with injury ruling talented colt Therock out of next week's Two Thousand Guineas in New Zealand.Ryan abandoned Melbourne Cup plans for Ready To Lift after her failure in the Moonee Valley Cup and had high hopes for Therock, winner of his past two starts in Sydney and one of the favourites for the Group One in Christchurch.Melito, who finished second to Irish Lights in the Thousand Guineas on October 14, runs in

Oaks-bound filly Melito is trainer Gerald Ryan's sole hope of spring Group One riches with injury ruling talented colt Therock out of next week's Two Thousand Guineas in New Zealand.

Ryan abandoned Melbourne Cup plans for Ready To Lift after her failure in the Moonee Valley Cup and had high hopes for Therock, winner of his past two starts in Sydney and one of the favourites for the Group One in Christchurch.

Melito, who finished second to Irish Lights in the Thousand Guineas on October 14, runs in Saturday's Group Two Wakeful Stakes (2000m), the traditional lead-up to the 2500m Oaks five days later.

"Therock was lame on Wednesday and scans have shown he has strained the ligaments under the joint at the back of his pastern," Ryan said.

"It means he will have to have about three to six months out.

"He's a big, heavy colt so we have to be careful with him."

At 560 kilograms, Therock is 60 kilos heavier than Melito but her weight is just where Ryan wants it.

"She looks absolutely terrific," he said.

"When she ran second to Deer Valley first-up she weighed 503 kilos and this week she was 500 so she has held her condition.

"She has improved rather than gone backwards."

Melito has won two of her nine starts and has also collected five second-place cheques.

Her wins were in the Silver Slipper Stakes (1100m) and Furious Stakes (1400m) and she ran fourth in the Flight Stakes (1600m) won by More Joyous on a slow track before her Thousand Guineas placing.

"I have always thought she would be better over more ground and I am looking forward to the Wakeful," Ryan said.

"Corey (Brown) has also been keen to ride her over a distance but barrier ten does makes it hard for her tomorrow in a race where there doesn't look to be a lot of speed."

Race favourite Run For Naara, a winner at Caulfield last Saturday week, has drawn barrier one while second elect, Thousand Guineas third placegetter Faint Perfume, has gate seven.

Melito was at $5.50 with TAB Sportsbet on Friday with Run For Naara at $2.50 and Faint Perfume $4, with Ryan nominating that pair as the hardest to beat.

"They look like the ones she has to beat but if I go back to the Thousand Guineas I don't think any horse had a tougher run than her and she still ran home," he said.

Irish Lights will go back to the 1200 metres of the Group One Coolmore Stud Stakes on Saturday.