KEY POINTS:
The 4-year-old section of the Harness Jewels is set to be hit with its fourth major defection in a fortnight.
Exciting Patumahoe pacer Awesome Armbro is almost certain to miss his $200,000 division of the series which will be held at Ashburton on June 2.
He has been
struck by a mystery ailment which trainer Geoff Small believes makes the Jewels almost impossible.
Awesome Armbro's problems date back more than a month when he suffered a blood infection, which left him slightly lame.
That forced him to miss the Taylor Mile at Alexandra Park and he was then left short of peak fitness in the Messenger Pace.
Small was hoping he would bounce back to the sort of form that saw him run fourth in the Auckland Cup, but the improvement has been minimal.
"We can't completely put our finger on what is wrong with him but we are running out of time," said Small.
"He has missed work and is still not physically right so I would say the Jewels are highly unlikely."
Missing big-money races at the end of a superb season is not easy to cop, but Small says the owners of Awesome Armbro still have a lot to look forward to.
"I think he showed in the Auckland Cup he is up to the best open class horses so hopefully we can get him over this, give him a break and set him for the big races next season."
Awesome Armbro was as short as the $4.50 third favourite for the male 4-year-old division of the Jewels and his defection would leave that event looking a virtual match-race between Divisive ($1.70) and Monkey King ($2.80).
Monkey King races at Addington tomorrow night but Divisive will go into the Jewels without another race.
The 4-year-old section has been hit hardest of the Jewels races, understandably since that age group have had harder and longer seasons than the two and 3-year-olds.
Just two weeks ago early favourite Pay Me Christian was pulled out of the series and retired, while last week Easter Cup winner Tuherbs was also withdrawn with a niggling injury.
The 4-year-old mares series is likely to lose second favourite All Promises this week, with last season's best two 3-year-old fillies Tosti Girl (retired) and Western Dream (out of form) also not making the series.
The defection of the last trio leaves Bachelorette the warm favourite in one of the most open divisions for the series.
* Small has far better news for fans of Changeover.
The champion 3-year-old pleased his trainer in a private workout on Monday, his first serious hitout since winning the Southern Supremacy Stakes on April 28.
"He looks great and will head to the workouts this weekend, and the one after, and that should have him spot on for the Jewels."