Shin soreness has ended the spring campaign of boom New Zealand colt Cauthen who was regarded as a leading chance in the Caulfield Guineas.

Cauthen came home near the rear of the field in last Saturday's Listed Henry Bucks Stakes and was found to be suffering from the thumps, a diaphragmatic spasm causing laboured breathing.

But an X-ray on Tuesday showed the three-year-old was also nursing shin soreness so trainer Andrew Campbell has decided not to take any risks with the horse.

"It's gut wrenching, but that's the highs and lows of racing," Campbell said.

He said there been no signs of the problem on Sunday with the colt having a good appetite.

"It wasn't until we X-rayed him that we could see how bad the shin soreness was," Campbell said.

In his previous runs this campaign, Cauthen was a luckless second on his debut at Moonee Valley and followed that up with a convincing win in the McKenzie Stakes on August 24.

Cauthen is likely to be sent home to New Zealand next week with the expectation he'll be back in March for the Australian Guineas.