Kris Lees has held fire with Mugatoo for this Friday's Scone Cup but says the 2021 All Star Mile winner is not far away from a return to racing.
The top Newcastle trainer was considering a crack at the 1600m listed race with the seven-year-old gelding, pending a track gallop at Broadmeadow on Monday.
Although Lees was pleased with the hit-out, the trainer and connections Australian Bloodstock decided to delay Mugatoo's return.
The import has not raced since sustaining a tendon injury in the Doomben Cup last May but he has trialled twice in the past month.
Lees said the Scone Cup was still a little too soon for Mugatoo, which could return in two weeks.
"We'll find an alternative for him, there's no rush for him," Lees said.
"It was a good gallop [on Monday] in company, nice work, and he's certainly not far away from being back at the track.
"He's not far away, but just not quite this Friday. It's a bit quick.
"There's an option in Sydney but he'll get a bit of weight, but there's also a couple of races in Queensland over the carnival that we'll look at."
Mugatoo, which in 2020 gave Lees his first Newcastle Cup, had a setback in preparations two weeks ago when dislodging jockey Dylan Gibbons behind the gates before a home trial. He broke free and ran back to the stalls and was scratched but suffered only scrapes.
Lees said bypassing the Scone Cup had "nothing to do with that, just more fitness levels, just where he's at".
Rustic Steel and Kinloch were Lees' nominations for the Scone Cup on Monday but he said Kinloch was an unlikely acceptor.
Both ran in the $500,000 The Coast (1600m) at Gosford last Saturday. Rustic Steel was an impressive all-the-way winner and Kinloch, which won the Midway and Provincial Championship a month ago, was ninth.
"He probably won't run, but we'll make a decision tomorrow. But it's unlikely," Lees said of Kinloch.
Rustic Steel, though, has come through the run well and looks set to contest the $200,000 Scone Cup.
In Saturday's Scone features, Lees has nominated Never Talk and Wandabaa for the Dark Jewel Classic, Acquitted and Cristal Breeze in the Luskin Star Stakes, The Bopper in the Ortensia Stakes, Zetarita and Rapid Response in the Denise's Joy Stakes and Lucky Variety in the Woodlands Stakes. Lees said "at this stage they'll all take their place".
On Friday at Muswellbrook, Lees-trained filly Eva Daniela broke through at her fifth start as part of a double for jockey Aaron Bullock.
"She's done a good job, she's a well-bred filly so it's good to get her maiden out of the way," Lees said. "Hopefully she can go on with it from there."
Bullock also won with the Brett Cavanough-trained Babayka.
Newcastle trainer Paul Perry and jockey Clayton Gallagher had a double with Leading Lady and Aspen Chase.
Lees (Phule) and Perry (Yorikiri) also had victories at Taree on Monday.
