Trainer Leon Macdonald will scratch Southern Speed from the BMW Caulfield Cup on Saturday morning denying the mare a chance to defend her title in the 2400m Group 1 $2.5m Handicap at Caulfield.

Defending champion Southern Speed will be scratched from the 2012 Caulfield Cup on race morning

Macdonald was concerned with barrier fourteen after the five year old put in the worst run of her career from the same gate when fifteen to Green Moon in the Group 1 $500,000 Turnbull Stakes (2000m) at Flemington on October 6.

The top Adelaide trainer met with connections and decided that to miss the Caulfield Cup and wait for the Group 1 $3m Sportingbet Cox Plate (2040m) at Moonee Valley next week was a better option.

“The barrier was a major concern,” trainer Leon Macdonald said.

“She would have had to be as good as Rising Fast to win it and she would have had to carry the most weight for a (winning) mare for 20 years.

“She will be scratched in the morning and we’ll wait for the Cox Plate.”

The scratching of Southern Speed won’t affect the Caulfield Cup market to any degree with the mare a $26 chance before the announcement that she would be scratched on race morning.

The Gai Waterhouse trained Glencadam Gold remains the favourite at $5.50 in front of December Draw at $7 with the best of the internationals Dunaden and My Quest For Peace at $9.

Lights Of Heaven, the best of Peter Moody’s three runners is next in line at $9.50 with stablemates Sneak A Peek at $15 and Italian import Voila Ici at $21.