Hobby's Golden Easter Egg Aspirations Crumble

WHEN star WA sprinter Crumble Monelli shot five lengths clear mid-race in his G1 Perth Cup heat at Cannington on Saturday, the young gun's 14^th career win looked assured.

The brightest sprinting prospect in the west had prevailed as a long odds on favourite at his previous five starts at Cannington yet the $1.40 chance was reeled in late by Cosi Dagostino's seasoned all-distance campaigner Momentum.

"He looked to be in trouble before the home turn and there had to be something wrong," owner-trainer Dave Hobby said.

"The next morning there was nothing really amiss but he's quite tender in his offside hock and he's off to have an MRI tomorrow.

"X-Rays cannot disclose the micro-fractures which I believe lead to catastrophic injuries and I won' take any chances with him whatsoever.

"Regardless of the scan result, he'll go for a break … he's been scratched from the Perth Cup Consolation and won't be heading to Wentworth Park for the Golden Easter Egg."

Hobby has Lupini Monelli in the $200,000-to-the-winner G1 decider but she has drawn awkwardly (box six) in an ultra competitive affair.

The box draw was far kinder to Jamie Marsh's Elite Machine with the rising three year-old securing box one after registering the fastest heat time – his 29.55 all-the-way romp a career best at the track.

And, following Elite Machine securing box one in the Perth Cup, it took little time for RAM Racing to secure the brindle dog for the $500,000 The Sandgroper (520m) at Cannington on Friday, April 14.

Six of eight Sandgroper slots have been confirmed.