HE WAS the pin-up boy early last spring despite his small stature, long hair and bony appearance, but a new-look December Draw is ready to retake the headlines when he reappears in Saturday's group 2 Makybe Diva Stakes at Flemington, reports The Age.The report says: ''He's strengthened and thickened up quite a bit and I think he'll look pretty good in the mounting yard there on Saturday,'' trainer Mark Kavanagh said yesterday.Kavanagh said December Draw, who came to him from England about 18 mon

HE WAS the pin-up boy early last spring despite his small stature, long hair and bony appearance, but a new-look December Draw is ready to retake the headlines when he reappears in Saturday's group 2 Makybe Diva Stakes at Flemington, reports The Age.

The report says: ''He's strengthened and thickened up quite a bit and I think he'll look pretty good in the mounting yard there on Saturday,'' trainer Mark Kavanagh said yesterday.

Kavanagh said December Draw, who came to him from England about 18 months ago as a ''scrawny, hairy little thing'', had developed considerably in his enforced period in the paddock. ''He had put on about 65 kilograms by the time he came back into work and, with his training, is probably 45 kilograms heavier and looks the better for it - especially as his coat has got a bit of shine as well.'' When December Draw parades for jockey Michael Rodd before Saturday's crucial race, he will certainly be a welcome sight for Kavanagh and his stable, who last month lost unbeaten star Atlantic Jewel to a tendon injury.

But December Draw too has had his battles to get back to the track after an untimely injury last spring. The imported horse threatened to sweep all before him last spring when he progressed from a handicap win in early September to a group 1 win in early October before finishing last in the Caulfield Cup as one of the hottest favourites on record.

Beaten by 25 lengths, December Draw was later diagnosed as having broken a splint bone in the hind leg after receiving a kick during the race. Unlike Atlantic Jewel's injury to a tendon, December Draw's ailment was unlikely to stop him racing again, but could have reduced his effectiveness.