Clint Lundholm's Listen To The Band has been scratched from the Country Championships final at Royal Randwick

Lundholm's Listen To The Band won the Coonamble qualifier on Sunday, giving the trainer his first triumph in the race but now he has been forced to scratch the victor.

A veterinary certificate was sent to Racing NSW Stewards this week confirming Listen To The Band had an injury to his foreleg which requires arthroscopic surgery, forcing the gelding to be scratched from the $500,000 Country Championships final at Royal Randwick on April 1.

After the eight-year-old won five from six starts this preparation, the gelding put the icing on the cake with the Coonamble victory and Lundholm admitted those involved with Listen To The Band were quite upset.

"It was tough," he said.

"It wasn't the easiest phone call to make to an owner but look, to be honest, we didn't think he'd make the races.

"He's come out and to do what he has done, he got us through to the Championships and got the job done.

"To get so close to being in the big one is obviously disappointing for sure."

But with every negative, there is a positive.

READ ALSO:

That positive is for Lundholm, another of his runners will now take Listen To The Band's spot at Randwick.

Third placegetter Smooth Esprit will now step up into the race, replacing his stable mate and Lundholm believes the gelding can do a job on the day.

"He sneaks through now," he said.

"His run was really nice back from a spell, he's had a couple of light trials into it so he has three weeks between his run and the final which will suit him.

"We just got to pray for no rain and he will definitely run us a good race down there, that's for sure."

Lundholm will also have another shot at getting Hit The Rim into the race, with the horse set to run at Scone's Northern Wild Card event on Sunday.

Hit The Rim will be the only horse from Dubbo to take part in the event after Boom Boom Basil withdrew earlier this week.

Ex-Kody Nestor horse Talbragar will jump out of barrier 18 and is set to be ridden by Aaron Bullock.

Serg Lisnyy will ride Hit The Rim in Sunday's race which will jump at 4:45pm.

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content: