More Joyous has been ruled out of this year's Cox Plate

Five-year-old mare More Joyous has been ruled out of a start in this year’s Cox Plate after her spring campaign has to be pushed back following a joint issue.

Owner John Singleton’s racing manager, Duncan Grimley, insisted that More Joyous was making good progress despite the setback.

“She has done well since she has come back in, she has been back in about six and a half weeks,” Mr Grimley said.

“(Trainer) Gai (Waterhouse) wanted to give her a good opportunity to have a gallop on a good surface so she is going to go around in a trial on Friday and I think it will be a soft trial for her while she is getting fit.

“I think we are (ruling the Cox Plate out), the plan was she would run over 1200m at the end of September and if that is the case to get her to 2040m four weeks later would be an impossible scenario.”

More Joyous finished a commendable fifth in last year’s Cox Plate, but will this year contest other races such as the Manikato Stakes and the Myer Classic.

“At this stage she is pencilled in to the Manikato, the Tristarc and the Myer,” Mr Grimley said.

Should More Joyous run in the Group 1 Manikato Stakes, she is likely to encounter this year’s Golden Slipper winner Sepoy.

“It will be (a competitive race at this time of the year) but people need to realise it is a $500,000 group one race and I don’t know if there is a $500,000 race in Sydney this spring,” Mr Grimley said.

More Joyous has won an impressive 14 of her 19 race starts and has accumulated almost $2.2 million in prize money.