Equal top weight Shoals is an early scratching from the 2019 Group 1 $500,000 Ladbrokes Oakleigh Plate (1100m) at Caulfield on Saturday.

Shoals, above, has been scratched from the 2019 Oakleigh Plate at Caulfield. Photo by Steve Hart.

Trainer Anthony Freedman released a statement on twitter that Shoals’ return to the race track for the 2019 Autumn Carnival would be put back after the three times Group 1 winner returned a blood picture that indicated that she was not one hundred per cent.

“Shoals has been scratched from Saturday’s Group 1 Oakleigh Plate. Her blood picture wasn’t good enough to run. We will confirm our plans over the coming the days,” Freedman Racing tweeted.

Shoals was set to carry the equal top weight of 57kg along with Lloyd Kennewell’s Group 1 winning mare Viddora and was around the $13 mark at Ladbrokes.com.au.

The Chris Waller trained speed machine Nature Strip remains the short priced favourite at $2.20 while Sarah Zschoke’s Eduardo at $9.50 is the only other runner under double figures.

Shoals claimed three Group 1 trophies during her three year old season with wins in the $500,000 Myer Classic (1600m) at Flemington during the 2017 Melbourne Spring Carnival, the $500,000 James Boag’s Premium Surround Stakes (1400m) at Randwick during the 2018 Sydney Autumn Carnival and in the $1m Robert Sangster Stakes (1200m) at Morphettville at her next start.

The Fastnet Rock mare failed to find the winner’s stall from three starts during the 2018 Spring Carnival and was spelled after finishing down the track on a heavy track when eleventh to Redzel in the $13m The Everest (1200m) at Randwick on October 13.

Nature Strip showed his natural brilliance at his first start for the Waller stable with an all the way win in the Group 2 $200,000 Schweppes Rubiton Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield on February 9 and has earned his spot at the top of the market order.

First emergency Crown Witness slots into the eighteen horse Oakleigh Plate field and is rated as the outsider of the field at $91.