Superstar sprinter Hooked On Scotch defeated the Warrnambool chaser in track-record time last week, with both greyhounds advancing to Saturday's final.

But Hooked On Scotch - trained by Jason Thompson in Pearcedale - was scratched from the $67,000 race due to injury.

"Hooked On Scotch jumped out of the sky," Crimson Vixen's trainer, Norm McCullagh, said.

"It won't hurt Crimson Vixen's chances at all that he'll miss the final. It puts her in with a rough show."

A hock problem has restricted Crimson Vixen in the past six months and McCullagh insisted the welfare of the two-year-old chaser was his first priority.

"Her hock seems to be okay but we'll look after her a bit," McCullagh, a greyhound racing hall-of-famer, said.

"We might put her in the Australian Cup but we don't want to wear her out."

Have you signed up to The Standard's daily newsletter and breaking news emails? You can register below and make sure you are up to date with everything that's happening in the south-west.