Leading Cox Plate fancy Pompeii Ruler is out for the spring through injury and trainer Mick Price will now rely on Alamosa in the weight-for-age championship.Price said Pompeii Ruler had pulled up with a tendonitis-like injury after his second in Saturday's Yalumba Stakes and would need three months in the paddock."It is a bit like a rolled ankle," Price said."He has inflammation of the superficial flexor tendon at the back of the near front pastern."Pompeii Ruler, who was third in the 2006 Cox
Leading Cox Plate fancy Pompeii Ruler is out for the spring through injury and trainer Mick Price will now rely on Alamosa in the weight-for-age championship.
Price said Pompeii Ruler had pulled up with a tendonitis-like injury after his second in Saturday's Yalumba Stakes and would need three months in the paddock.
"It is a bit like a rolled ankle," Price said.
"He has inflammation of the superficial flexor tendon at the back of the near front pastern."
Pompeii Ruler, who was third in the 2006 Cox Plate, was on the comeback trail this spring from a suspensory injury to his off foreleg.
He had only finished worse than fourth once in five runs this campaign and he was among the top four in the market for the Cox Plate (2040m) at Moonee Valley on October 25 after his neck second to Douro Valley in Saturday's Yalumba Stakes (2000m).
Price said Pompeii Ruler had been peaking at the right time.
"The injury is very disappointing," Price said.
"After Saturday I thought the timing was going to put him straight back where he belongs."
Pompeii Ruler has only raced 18 times with the 2007 Australian Cup among his seven wins. He was on the losing end of a three-way photo when third to Fields of Omagh and El Segundo in the 2006 Cox Plate.
The chestnut raced once last spring before injuring his suspensory.
Price didn't run him last autumn to give him extra time to recover for the spring.
Price confirmed Toorak Handicap winner Alamosa would run in the Cox Plate after he failed to convince his New Zealand owners to instead aim him specifically at the Group One Emirates Stakes (1600m) at Flemington on November 8.