Only nine horses remain in the running for the MIA Breeders Plate following two scratchings on Thursday.
The Defiant was withdrawn by Victorian trainer Michael Azzopardi after the colt recorded a high temperature.
Azzopardi didn’t want to risk the son of Blissfull Hall and elected to make an early call to not make the big trip to Leeton.
“It’s a long way to go on the float and I’m not willing to take that risk him in the heat,” Azzopardi.
“The horse comes first and while it is a big race there is going to be plenty of big races throughout the season.
“I rate the horse very highly and don’t want to risk him now.”
As a result of The Defiant’s scratching first emergency Miraculous Luck was moved into the field but Leeton trainer Wayne Sullivan has elected to race her in the second two-year-old race on the card.
Now four horses will start from the front row with five to come off the second.
