STAR Tasmanian pacer Gedlee has gone amiss and will be sidelined for up to a year.
Gedlee was this week diagnosed with a strained suspensory ligament.
Gedlee was diagnosed with the problem yesterday but connections believe the four-year-old gelding may have suffered the injury when he pulled a shoe two starts back in Hobart.
Owner Gerald Rawnsley said the vet had advised him to give the horse six months off.
“The vet said he would probably be right to race in six months but we are going to give him 12 months off just to make sure,” Rawnsley said.
Gedlee has been Tasmania’s boom pacer since he returned to the track this season wining his way through to open class in quick smart time.
He was expected to start a short-priced favourite to win a heat of the Easter Cup at The TOTE Racing Centre in Launceston on Sunday night.
“It’s a shame but that’s racing,” Rawnsley said.
“Luckily he’s only a four-year-old so he’s got time on his side.”
With Gedlee sidelined, the honour of favoritism in the first of two Easter Cup heats on Sunday night is likely to go to Our Chain Of Command that has firmed from $2.10 to $1.65 with Flyin Interstate next at $2.75.
Our Chain Of Command will step from the back mark of 30 metres with Flyin Interstate off 20 metres.
The in-form Our Sir Jeckyl, a winner of two of his past three starts, is the ruling favourite at $2.00 in the second heat ahead of Dance of the Deity at $7.
Our Sir Jeckyl will start off the back mark of 20 metres but he should still be up to the task.