The talented four-year-old was set to start one of the favourites in the feature but has been ruled out by Albury trainer Mitch Beer.

Sunrise Ruby, who has had two trials this preparation, was due to run first-up in the Country Championships Preview at Wagga on Thursday but has been scratched.

Beer said it was simply that the Championships qualifier had come too soon.

"I just feel very rushed and I think she probably should be going to the races first up on Saturday fortnight," Beer said.

"I'm not going to jeopardise her by rushing her to get there. Getting to the Country Championships from The Kosciuszko was always going to be very difficult.

"She had a good blow after that trial (last week) and you can't ignore the fact that she's not ready.

"Is it disappointing not to have her in our local heat of the Country Championships, yes, but I would be more disappointed in her going terrible and pulling up sore. I'd never forgive myself and I'm sure I will reap the benefits down the track."

Beer stressed there is nothing wrong with the mare, who has won four of her seven starts.

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"Not at all. She looks super, her soundness is terrific," he said.

"Last prep she was coming off a six month spell so we brought her up slow, she had a big prep and she's literally had a very short spell to back up to get to a Country Championships.

"I feel like we're rushing her and you go and run her first up (Thursday) and to be fair, I think she'd win, she would only have to be 80 per cent fit, it's not a strong field.

"I just reckon if she was a six-year-old gelding and that was your only $150,000 race he was ever going to run in you would have a different mindset but she's a good horse, I want to have her for the next two, three years and I'm not going to have that if I don't look after her."

Beer has not ruled out taking the wild card route to the Country Championships. It is likely to mean having to accept and scratch next week at Wagga, then head to Scone for the wild card on March 20.

Beer is still likely to have five representatives in the qualifier at Wagga.

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