Bart Cummings has removed Cox Plate winner So You Think from this Saturday’s Mackinnon Stakes and will instead target the $1 million Emirates Stakes a week later.

Cummings will still be represented in the Mackinnon Stakes by recent Caulfield Cup winner Viewed as he uses the race as the final lead-up to the Melbourne Cup.

Lee Freedman’s decision to withdraw Speed Gifted from the Melbourne Cup came down to multiple issues however the main reason was the horse’s terrible run in last weekend’s Cox Plate when the Metropolitan winner placed 12th behind Viewed.

After pulling up from the Cox Plate, the gelding’s feet were very tender, he was jarred all over and he had pulled a hamstring which will require longer than the one week until the Melbourne Cup to repair.

Despite paying yesterday’s third Melbourne Cup declaration for the European horse, Freedman has realised it is time to quit and will have the horse inspected by a chiropractor in the coming days.