COLONEL Wales, Ruth Hussey’s champion two-year-old of last season, has been scratched from the rescheduled Lotto Classic for the Governor’s Cup (Gr 1) race over 2,000 metres at Caymanas Park today.

The talented Region Of Merit bay colt, who though highly fancied to win the 2,000 Guineas as an 8-5 chance but ran disappointingly, is among six runners withdrawn from today’s Supreme Ventures Limited Lotto Raceday, which was postponed from last Monday’s Labour Day by promoters Caymanas Track Limited due to the current civil unrest in the country.

The five other runners withdrawn or not eligible are Explosive Report from the second race, Spacesaver and The Smoker from race five, along with Go Flint Go and My Space in the 10th and 12th races, respectively, to reduce the 12-race programme to 133 runners from its original 139.

While five of the runners were withdrawn for one reason or the other The Smoker was declared ineligible to participate in the $438,000 Lotto Championship Trophy for $180,000 claimers having won a race on a similar tag last Saturday.

Colonel Wales will miss his Derby prep but the rescheduling of events seemed to have little effect on Church Pen Farm’s chestnut gelding Lifeisjustforliving, who remains the firm favourite to win the $3.3 million Lotto Classic feature. The son of Region Of Merit is trained by champion conditioner Wayne DaCosta and ridden by champion jockey Omar Walker.

The competitive programme also includes the $1,470,000 Lotto Sprint Trophy (Gr 1) over 1,100 metres featuring Saint Cecelia, Honeyofalady and Ministerofjustice — three of the finest sprinters at this level in the country. There is also the Labour Day Trophy over 1,200 metres for the claiming group $550,0000 — $500,000 and the $815,000 Lotto Dash over 600 metres for native-bred two-year-olds featuring the Philip Feanny-trained speedy Royal Minister filly Annie Oakley, who will be going for win number two in the field of six, after opening her winning account on last over the same distance.