Master Broadmeadow trainer Paul Perry has conceded that Southern Skye will not race again as a three-year-old because of a tendon injury.

Perry was looking to either the group 1 AJC Derby over 2400 metres or the group 1 Queensland Derby over the same distance as the goals for Southern Skye this season.

Southern Skye showed his undoubted staying potential by winning the 2112m Geelong Classic for three-year-olds last year.

That was followed up by an outstanding performance to sit on the pace all the way and still run fourth behind Monaco Consul in the group 1 VRC Derby at Flemington over 2500m on the last Saturday of October.

"It is very disappointing, but the horse has to have at least two months off, so that rules out any Derby run," Perry said.

"It is a very minor tendon injury that was picked up when we had him scanned.

"The vets have assured me that he can get over the injury with time, but of course that means he won't get the chance to run in another derby.

"That is a real pity as Southern Skye was showing he was capable of mixing it with the better three-year-old stayers.

"He had returned from a spell after his Melbourne campaign in such great order that I had very high hopes for him in the autumn and winter."

Geoff Wilson