Mark Twain, New Zealand’s leading hope for this year’s Gr.1 Melbourne Cup (3200m), has been ruled out of spring racing with a tendon strain. 

The five-year-old gelding gained automatic entry into the iconic race with victory in the Listed Roy Higgins (2600m) at Flemington in March, which followed his placing in the Gr.2 Auckland Cup (3200m) at Ellerslie earlier that month.  

Trainers Roger James and Robert Wellwood were excited about campaigning their charge in Melbourne this spring, however, those dreams have been dashed after the five-year-old pulled up with an injury over the weekend. 

“He has suffered a setback, he has got a slight tendon strain,” James said. “He presumably did it when working on Saturday morning. 

“He will probably be off the scene for some time. To rehabilitate 100 percent from a tendon strain he probably wouldn’t be seen in public for 12 months. 

“It is gutting for the stable and all of his connections as well.” 

Mark Twain was bred by Taikorea Thoroughbreds Ltd and is raced by Australian syndicator OTI Racing. 

While one spring campaign has ended, James is looking forward to commencing the preparations of his stable’s two other leading lights, Orchestral and Dionysus, in the Fiber Fresh Group Trial (1100m) at Taupo on Wednesday. 

“They are in lovely order,” James said. “We have got ideas on what we might do, but everything runs off the trial and what they do there.”