Sydney’s Autumn Racing Carnival has suffered a major blow with last weekend’s Australian Cup winner Shocking ruled out of the remainder of the racing season.

Shocking pulled up “a bit jarry and scratchy” from his imposing victory in the Australian Cup last Saturday and his trainer, Mark Kavanagh, has chosen to take the safe option and send the Melbourne Cup winning gelding for a spell.

Mark Kavanagh is confident that a few months of rest and recovery will make for a very dangerous horse in the Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival, including a possible attempt at a second Melbourne Cup.

The trainer is hoping Shocking will respond well to having the remainder of the Autumn Carnival off and will reward him with a stellar spring campaign.

“He’s been very kind to us this preparation and we’ll give him a rest until the spring,” Kavanagh said.

“It’s nothing serious but if we are kind to him he’ll be kind to us.”

Shocking had been early favourite to take out the $2.25 million BMW on Golden Slipper Day on April 2, 2011.

“I don’t want to go to 2400m (in The BMW) with a three-week gap with him,” Kavanagh said.

Shocking has won seven of his 27 starts during his career and has accrued almost $5 million in prize money.