Is it over before it starts? Headline-hugger Weekend Hussler's spring carnival campaign is in grave doubt after the flareup of an injury that marred the 4YO's autumn campaign. There'll be a press conference on Wednesday and early rumors suggest the news to be released will be bad. At the moment, trainer Ross McDonald says the Hussler is battling with a joint injury from last autumn and was to be inspected by vets on Monday, with further tests being done. He says: 'We have a little problem...He's
Is it over before it starts? Headline-hugger Weekend Hussler's spring carnival campaign is in grave doubt after the flareup of an injury that marred the 4YO's autumn campaign. There'll be a press conference on Wednesday and early rumors suggest the news to be released will be bad. At the moment, trainer Ross McDonald says the Hussler is battling with a joint injury from last autumn and was to be inspected by vets on Monday, with further tests being done. He says: 'We have a little problem...He's ricked his joint, something he did at the end of his last campaign and it hasn't completely healed.'
Top filly Ortensia's injury is not causing concern. The minor leg injury forced her withdrawal from last Saturday's 1400m feature at Eagle Farm. Trainer Tony Noonan's right hand man Mick Robins says Ortensia was sore just below her near side knee. But he adds: 'It's not serious and if she was a five-year-old gelding we'd probably have run her in the Winter Stakes...She's not lame, she's as free as a bird...' Ortensia will now gor for a break and she'll very likely have a light spring campaign in Melbourne.
Veteran turf scribbler Ken Callander has his concerns about a merger of the AJC and STC. In his Daily Tele column, he says: 'It is long odds-on that the Ernst and Young report due tomorrow will recommend a merger of the AJC and the STC. After all, Ernst & Young are accountants and accountants are all about cutting costs. I hope the firm's terms of reference allowed them to see how the trots have crumbled in public appeal over the past couple of decades with no competition to spur on the NSW Trotting Club, and how the real major costs to owners in the racing industry are not low prizemoney returns but the price of yearlings and stallion service fees. New chum Nathan Tinkler is my pin-up boy in the breeding ranks as he is the only one to suggest it would be fair for a stallion tax to be introduced.
No luck with this one...Continuing heavy rain has forced the total abandonment of the Grafton meeting postponed from last Friday to Tuesday. A track inspection on Monday morning found the track to be still unsuitable for racing on Tuesday.