Tony McEvoy is convinced Tikitour will relish a distance rise in an off-season race at Caulfield on Saturday but the trainer’s spring stocks have received a blow with an injury to a stable star.

McEvoy said dual Group-winning galloper Mouro had undergone surgery to remove a bone chip in a joint after his unplaced Hawkesbury Cup run earlier this month.

The five-year-old will require four months of rest and will miss the spring.

“He chipped his joint in the Hawkesbury Cup so that was the reason he went below what we thought,” McEvoy said.

“It’s going to be a long wait for him but that’s all we can do. He’s got the ability, we’ve just got to give him the time now.”

On the same day Mouro ran in the Hawkesbury Cup, three-year-old stablemate Tikitour finished a grinding third to Alpha Beat in the Adelaide Guineas (1600m) at Morphettville.

It was a performance which McEvoy felt indicated the gelding was looking for further.

McEvoy is confident Tikitour – a winner of one of his eight starts with three Listed placings – can be in the finish of the ALH Group Handicap on Saturday when he attempts 2000m for the first time.

“The horse is suggesting to us that that’s what he needs,” McEvoy said.

“Steven Arnold, who rode him for me in the Guineas, thought he was going to win the race at the half-mile (800m) and then when he asked him to quicken, he failed to quicken and was very one-paced.

“It looked like he was dropping out and then he got going again to run third.

“He said he just felt like he was a horse that wants further.”

McEvoy has increased Tikitour’s training since then and says the son of Dane Shadow has thrived.

“I think he’s going very well and he’s handled the extra training. All the signs are looking good for him on Saturday,” he said.