Grant Peters
Rising Red has been scratched from Saturday’s Gr.2 Brisbane Cup (2200m).
Co-trainer Trent Busuttin said the New Zealand-bred son of Redwood had heat in one of his joints following a track gallop on Tuesday.
Rising Red had galloped into Cup contention with a last-start victory in the Gr.3 Premier’s Cup (2200m).
"Connections are disappointed not to be running but the horse's welfare comes first," Busuttin Racing said.
Last year's Gr.1 New Zealand Derby (2400m) runner-up returned to racing earlier this year after a year off the scene through injury.
The four-year-old, who is raced by a syndicated which includes his Kiwi breeders John and Victoria Carter, has raced five times this preparation and was placed in the Gr.3 JRA Plate (2000m) at Randwick and the Gr.3 Chairman's Handicap (2000m) at Doomben before winning the Premier's Cup.
Rising Red's scratching leaves a field of nine for the Brisbane Cup.