A freak barrier trial injury has put a start in Saturday's Listed Kevin Hayes Stakes in serious doubt for promising filly Miss Softhands.

In an incident that only became apparent after she won her trial at Werribee by eight lengths, Miss Softhands suffered a cut above the off-side hock when she was galloped on by a riderless horse.

Miss Softhands jumped to the front in the 1000m hit-out trainer Colin Little used to bring her to race fitness for Saturday's Caulfield race.

All appeared to go smoothly until about 450m from the line when Wales, who had lost his rider Nick Hall soon after the start, galloped erratically as Miss Softhands ran past him and he caught her with a flying hoof.

Miss Softhands continued to the line, presumably without being troubled by the injury and with jockey Craig Williams sitting against her.

For Little the mishap has all-but ended his chance of pulling off a sentimental double in the race he won last year with another classy filly, Soft Sand who was recently transferred to Paul Messara.

"I won the race last year with Soft Sand and I was pretty keen to win it again," Little said.

While the injury appears to be little more than superficial, Little feared possible bruising to the tendon and any treatment may preclude her from running.

"I won't know for a while how serious it is," he said.

"We'll just have to see how we go for the rest of the week."

The culprit in the incident, Wales, flirted with injury himself, trying to jump the outside fence and knocking a length of running rail over after passing the winning post.

The magnificently bred son of Redoute's Choice and Makybe Diva's half-sister Valkyrie Diva, suffered no apparent injury. He is entered for Saturday's Autumn Stakes at Caulfield but he will be without Hall who chipped a bone in his wrist and will be sidelined for about 10 days.

The injury aside, Little was delighted with Miss Softhands' performance which came after wins at her only two starts, the latest in a three-year-old fillies event at Caulfield in December.

Miss Softhands was to have continued on to the Australian Guineas at Flemington and possibly to the Sydney autumn carnival.