Country Classic Winner's Egg Tilt Foiled By Injury

Country Classic hero Showman Jack has been withdrawn from Saturday night's Group 1 Golden Easter Egg (520m) heats at Wentworth Park.

Trainer John Smart elected to scratch the son of Fernando Bale from the $300,000-to-the-winner series as a precautionary measure following last Saturday's resounding Country Classic success.

"He's got a slightly strained chest muscle and is a little sore in it so it's just not worth the risk," Smart said.

"He could go around and probably win but if he did tear the muscle then he'd be out for a good while. He's been so good to us, we'll give him the time off and make sure we get it right.

"It was actually an issue through the Dubbo series but we lasered it day and night to get through and thankfully we did."

Showman Jack's scratching from Saturday night's Golden Easter Egg also rules him out of the heats of the following week's Group 1 Association Cup over the 720 metres.

But it is a fast-approaching distance event Smart has his eye on with his powerhouse chaser.

"The 715 at The Gardens is the target," Smart said.

"We'll start getting the miles into his legs in readiness for that and it's another reason I've pulled him out of the Easter Egg. If he did tear the muscle it'd rule him out of that series as well."

Heats of The 715, worth $500,000-to-the-winner, are slated for The Gardens on April 28 with the final a week later on May 6.

The scratching of Showman Jack from heat six of the Egg sees Yachi Bale, Simply Limelight and the heavily supported Where's Bonbon atop of betting.