John Dunn is hoping the return of two potential open class pacers will offset the loss of No Doctor Needed.
No Doctor Needed, who ran ninth in the New Zealand Trotting Cup for Dunn's father Robert earlier this month, has been switched to the Steve Telfer and Chris Garlick barn in Papakura for his future racing.
But providing they can stay sound, two replacements are waiting in the wings for the Dunn stable.
Elios made a long awaited return at the North Canterbury workouts at Rangiora Raceway on Wednesday in his first outing since failing badly in last season's Auckland Cup.
A Group I winner in the 2014 Messenger when he beat the likes of Arden Rooney, Franco Nelson, Mossdale Conner and Besotted, Elios got so ill from a virus late last season there were no guarantees of him making it back to the races.
Additional issues along the way have not helped his cause.
Elios' first outing was more than satisfactory and the Dunns will be hopefully of a similar performance when Wesley Silcox makes his comeback from injury at Saturday's workouts at Pukekohe.
A winner of 10 from 28 and more than $220,000 in stakes, Elios ran second to Bay Emerald by half a length in a 2:00.1 mile rate for the 2000m but made up late ground sharply from the back of the six horse field.
In context, Bay Emerald has only won one from 36 but Dunn was happy to see the lightly raced 6-year-old get through the run safely.
He said they would be looking after Elios in the short term and will let him guide them when he is ready to step back up.
"I've said to the owners that we are not making any strong plans at this stage, we will just get through another couple of trials and see where we are at then."
A winner of eight from 12, Wesley Silcox won his last three starts on the trot before pulling up lame with a tendon injury back in March.
"He might not have been a horse that attracted a lot of hype but he always seemed to step up and get the job done," Dunn said.
At this stage there are no plans for a race day return with Wesley Silcox.
Mat Kermeen
Reproduced with permission of Stuff NZ – Check site here