The spring attrition rate continued today as leading trainer Peter Moody announced promising stayer Brambles won’t race again until the autumn.

Brambles will miss the spring carnival after suffering travel sickness. Photo by: Daniel Costello

The four-year-old suffered travel sickness returning to Melbourne following an extended stay in Queensland after the Brisbane carnival and Moody has elected to remain cautious with the Group 1 winner.

“We’ve assessed him for a couple of weeks and although we’ve been pleased with his condition we just thought that rather than push on, the weather’s turned, so we’ll get him out and get a bit of spring on his back and just aim him at the autumn,” Moody told Radio Sports National.

Prior to falling ill, Brambles was considered to be one of Australia’s leading Caulfield Cup chances after excelling as a three-year-old during the Queensland winter.

The son of Savabeel was the standout three-year-old as he excited punters with his tough, front-running style to claim three consecutive victories.

He won the Group 3 Rough Habit Plate (2000m) in early May and only improved as he stepped up in distance to claim the Group 3 Grand Prix Stakes (2200m) and the Group 1 Queensland Derby (2400m).

Brambles joins the list of high profile horses who have been ruled out of the spring before it has even begun.

The world’s best sprinter Black Caviar was the first star casualty after her gruelling Royal Ascot expedition and more quickly followed.

With Black Caviar on the sidelines, many were predicting Atlantic Jewel to step up and become Australia’s darling of the turf but she went down with a tendon injury earlier this month.

Melbourne Cup placegetter Lucas Cranach caused another major blow to the spring’s feature races when succumbing to a campaign-ending bone chip injury.