Sad spring end for Happy Trails as injury rules star out of Mackinnon

THE highs and lows continue for Happy Trails after he pulled up lame and will miss Saturday's Mackinnon Stakes.

Chelsea Moss takes Happy Trails for an afternoon walk at Caulfield. Picture: Michael Klein.

THE extraordinary spring of highs and lows continued yesterday for underrated galloper Happy Trails.

The six-year-old South Australian gelding pulled up lame with a sore near front pastern after pace work at Caulfield. He has been scratched from Saturday's Mackinnon Stakes (2000m) at Flemington and will head to the paddock.

"He will have scans and X-rays but he definitely will head to the paddock," said trainer Byron Cozamanis. "You just wouldn't take chances with a horse like him."

News_Rich_Media: Happy Trails was a flying second to Shamus Award in the Cox Plate.

The disappointment came only four days after Happy Trails heartbreakingly came within a whisker of winning Australia's most prestigious weight-for-age feature, the Group 1 Cox Plate, and a week after his trainer Paul Beshara was disqualified for six months for allegedly treating the horse on race day.

Jet Away is the new favourite for the Mackinnon, which the David Hayes-trained and Glen Boss-ridden galloper must win to make Tuesday's Melbourne Cup.