Mr Quickie will miss the Melbourne Spring Carnival after being injured enroute back from Queensland.
The Phillip Stokes-trained galloper suffered a pelvic injury on a stopover in Sydney when being floated back to Melbourne.
Mr Quickie had completed pre-training in Queensland following a short break after running fourth to Tofane in the Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap at Eagle Farm in June.
Stokes and the gelding’s connection were looking forward to the spring with the recently turned six-year-old after Mr Quickie won the Group 1 Toorak Handicap last spring.
The trainer explained Mr Quickie slipped in his box and suffered a fractured pelvis, requiring a minimum of six months off.
“He put his head up to try and smell the horse next door and slipped over,” Stokes said.
“We had the transport company go through all the footage. They have everything monitored and they found what he did.
“It was a very simple thing. I’ve seen it happen in paddocks as well and now the spring is over.
“He has to have a minimum of six months off but they can come back from it.”
Stokes said Mr Quickie would have four months on a property outside of Sydney before travelling back to Victoria to further his recuperation.
“He’ll be there for four months and after that he’ll travel back to Rosemont Stud and then start the process, which will be a long haul,” Stokes said.
“He’s a tough horse and I’m sure he’ll come back.
“He was getting better with age, so it’s disappointing with the spring looming.”
Article from JustHorseRacing.com.au