Star Southland pacer Captain Dolmio won't be rushed back to work.

The Gore gelding, developed by Matt Brinsdon and trained by him for six of his seven wins, hasn't raced since his second to Heaven Rocks from the stable of Robert Dunn in last year's Easter Cup.

Back with Dunn in the spring to prepare for the New Zealand Cup, he'd shaped encouragingly at a workout and trial in August before a problem emerged.

“He had bone issues, some shin splints and they said he needed four months of complete rest,” said Brinsdon.

“We decided to leave him out longer, otherwise he'd have been ready when there weren't going to be a lot of races for him.

“He'll stay out until May.”

Despite the setback and lack of summer grass growth, Brinsdon said there has been no halting the six-year-old's growth.

“He's still in the paddock and very heavy, but a box of birds.”

In 2016, Captain Dolmio marked his first New Zealand Cup carnival with a win and second in intermediate company.

By then his Tuapeka Cup success had given him an unbeaten record over 3200 metres.

Two more starts over the trip saw the Grinfromeartoear gelding credited with 3:55.2 when second to Classie Brigade in the Invercargill Cup and 3:59.1 in the Easter Cup.

Brinsdon is hoping his Cup carnival and two-mile form come together in November 2018.