Australia's most exciting long-distance prospect Like Wildfire will be a shock absentee from Friday night's Wentworth Park heats of the 720m $100,000 Sydney Cup.
The NSW-owned dog, who has won 10 of 12 starts, began his career in Sydney in owner-breeder Michael Ivers' kennels but has won his past three starts over 715m at Sandown for Melbourne trainer Robert Britton.
After clocking best of the night times of 41.41 and 41.37 in August, Like Wildfire won over the same course in 41.41 on September 4,`with his winning margins in his three wins totalling 20 lengths.
Robert Britton won the 2017 Sydney Cup with Fanta Bale but said: "Like Wildfire pulled up a bit scratchy after his last Sandown win and because he is a young dog I don't to push him too hard yet.
"He could probably have contested the Sydney Cup at a pinch but he is too good to risk.
"The same situation applies to his sister Pearly Tears, who has won each of her two long distance races over 715m at Sandown on September 17 and 24 in 41.55 and 41.75.
"She could have come to Sydney but again I have decided against rushing her along just yet.''
There is a chance Robert Britton's brother Jeff Britton will bring rookie stayer Mepunga Surprise up for Friday's Cup heats.
Mepunga Surprise has not been tried beyond 660m, having won each of two races at Ballarat over that distance, but Jeff Britton said: "I think she is going to make up into a good stayer and I'll decided within the next 24 hours or so whether to come to Sydney.''
Veteran trainer Laurie Duncan's most successful day was winning a double but his son Matt went one better at Goulburn on Friday by landing a hat-trick of winners with littermates Vanando, Rock It Reta and Run Rebel Run.
Rock It Reta won a 450m maiden event in 25.11 while Run Rebel Run won his maiden over 350m in 20.03 with Vanando taking her tally to three wins from five start with a 20.12 success over the same trip in fifth grade company.
"Dad has been going a bit ordinary so I have taken on the family training duties but because I am pretty busy with my business as a shearing contractor I only have four in work,'' Matt Duncan said.
"While Vanando has a good strike rate I think 350m might pull her up and Rock It Reta is the most promising.
"I expect to see the best of her when she goes over a bit more ground than 450m and in trials she has already shown herself to be the quickest in the litter.''
Duncan, who, like his father, is based at Euchareena, 303km north-west of Sydney in the Dubbo region, will soon start preparing another litter whelped by Miss Vanuatu, the dam of his Goulburn treble winners.
"The dogs which won at Goulburn are by Fernando Bale but Miss Vanuatu's next litter, by Flying Ricciardo, have just come back from the breakers and apparently show a bit of promise,'' Duncan said.
Duncan races Vanando, Rock It Reta and Run Rebel Run in partnership with Guy Orbell, who owned Miss Vanuatu along with her dam, the former top class stayer Dusty Moonshine.
Miss Vanuatu was trained by Denice Warren and won nine races while the lightly raced Dusty Moonshine won 12 of just 26 starts for the same kennel.
