One time Melbourne Cup favourite Rebel Raider continues to make steady progress from an injury which derailed his spring and trainer Leon Macdonald is looking ahead to next year.After adding the South Australian Derby to his Victoria Derby win, Rebel Raider was installed favourite alongside Efficient for the Melbourne Cup.But just a day after Cup weights were released in September, he was found to be lame and subsequently underwent surgery to remove a bone chip."He has recovered well and will sp

One time Melbourne Cup favourite Rebel Raider continues to make steady progress from an injury which derailed his spring and trainer Leon Macdonald is looking ahead to next year.

After adding the South Australian Derby to his Victoria Derby win, Rebel Raider was installed favourite alongside Efficient for the Melbourne Cup.

But just a day after Cup weights were released in September, he was found to be lame and subsequently underwent surgery to remove a bone chip.

"He has recovered well and will spend another three or four weeks in the paddock," Macdonald said.

"Then he will come back to the stable and we will put him on the water walker for a month and see where we go from there."

Where to go is a problem with Macdonald believing he needs to race the horse in the autumn to keep him up to the mark.

Having aborted Rebel Raider's AJC Australian Derby campaign after three poor runs in Sydney, Macdonald vowed he would never run the horse on right handed tracks again.

"His passport has been stamped never to go north of the Murray," Macdonald said.

"I would like to give him a light autumn but he won't be sharp enough for the Australian Cup and the 3200 metres of the Adelaide Cup will be too far.

"There is a lot to think about but he can't stay in the paddock until June when he will begin his preparation for the Melbourne Cup."

The Sydney autumn is a possibility for stablemate Majestic Music who has held her own this spring with the promise of more to come.

Her past five starts have produced three stakes wins and a fighting second to Kidnapped in Saturday's Sandown Guineas.

Options for Majestic Music include the Australasian Oaks (2000m) on her home track at Morphettville or the rich fillies races in Sydney.

"We will look at all the options for her," Macdonald said.

"She is a very, very good filly and has a big future."