Promising Godolphin three-year-old Tassort has been ruled out of the spring carnival after undergoing throat surgery.
Godolphin confirmed the news through its Twitter account on Wednesday and said it was expected Tassort would return to racing next year.
“We expect him to make a full recovery and look forward to seeing him return to racing in the early stages of the autumn,” Godolphin’s tweet said.
Tassort easily beat his rivals to win the Golden Gift on debut in November and finished runner-up to Time To Reign in the Group Two Silver Slipper in February.
He was an early favourite for the Golden Slipper but his two-year-old season ended prematurely when he bruised his foot and was spelled, missing the juvenile showpiece which Godolphin went on to trifecta with Kiamichi, Microphone and Lyre.
Trainer James Cummings is hoping his stellar juvenile team from last season can continue to dominate as three-year-olds with Athiri the first to return in Saturday’s Listed The Rosebud (1100m) at Rosehill.
A multiple stakes placegetter, Athiri will be chasing her first black-type win while older stablemate Alizee will bid to stake her claims to Godolphin’s Everest slot when she resumes in the Group Two Missile Stakes (1200m).