Two of trainer Chris Waller's best chances to win a spring major will miss an important lead-up race at Randwick on Saturday.
Kelinni and Beaten Up have been withdrawn from the Group Two Hill Stakes, putting the rest of their campaigns behind schedule or in serious doubt.
Of the two imports, Beaten Up is almost certain to be sidelined for the longest.
"He's got some activity in a tendon," Waller told Sky Sports Radio.
"It would certainly put the Caulfield Cup into serious doubt."
Kelinni suffered a minor bout of colic but Waller says he is hopeful the established stayer can still figure in his target races.
"He should be back in action for the Craven Plate which will make sure he is fit enough for a Caulfield Cup and Melbourne Cup path," he said.
Waller accepted with five horses in the Hill Stakes but after scratching Hawkspur to run the four-year-old in the George Main Stakes, he will be left with two runners.
They are the Metropolitan joint favourite Moriarty and Bayrir, an international Group One performer having his third outing for the stable.
In a revised market on the weight-for-age race, Moriarty ($3) has top billing over Bayrir ($4).
The Hill Stakes will be a notable race for the appearance of Masked Marvel, a Lloyd Williams-owned stayer who finished at the back of the Makybe Diva Stakes field at his only Australian start.
Now a six-year-old, Masked Marvel ran midfield in the 2011 English Derby but proved his worth as a quality stayer with his English St Leger win over Melbourne Cup-bound Brown Panther a few months later.
Sea Moon and Seville ran third and fourth respectively in the St Leger and they also race out of Williams's Macedon Lodge.
There is a stable precedent for Masked Marvel to run well, or at least improve on his Flemington effort.
Mourayan resumed and finished fourth in last year's Makybe Diva before being defeated in a photo by Lamasery in the Hill Stakes.