By MICHAEL GUERIN
New Zealand Cup hero Homin Hosed is out of the Auckland Cup and unlikely to race again.
The Waikato pacer - who won our greatest race in 1999 and was a close second to Kym's Girl this year - has sprained his off front suspensory ligament again.
The injury is similar to one Homin Hosed suffered after winning the New Zealand Cup two seasons ago and trainer Bryan Macey fears it will spell then end of the gelding's career.
"He is going to be away from racing for a year and that means he will be an eight-year-old when he returns," said Macey.
"Being a stayer he will need a lot of hard work to get back to his best and I don't know if his legs will stand up to that.
"I would rather retire him than see him finishing at the back of the field when I know he should be up the front."
Homin Hosed was driven throughout his career by Todd Mitchell and started 35 times for 15 wins and $485,869 in stakes.
And while he suffered his share of defeats he was a horse for the big occasion.
Apart from his New Zealand Cup heroics - he won after throwing his front shoes in the latter stages of the race - he won the Easter Cup and New Zealand Messenger.
His almost certain retirement caps a tough year for the New Zealand open class ranks as Agua Caliente, Bogan Fella, Classic Turbo, Mac De Stroyer and Cigar were either retired or sold overseas.
The Auckland Trotting Club were forced to drop the final cup lead-up race when only five horses accepted and cup favourite Young Rufus will instead start in a workout at Alexandra Park on Saturday.
