Talented sprinter Amerryking can crown a comeback from a career-threatening condition in the Standish Handicap at Flemington.Trainer John McArdle is thrilled with the six-year-old's recovery from an operation for a collapsed throat and excited he will get a second chance at the Group Three Standish (1200m) on Thursday after finishing just behind the placegetters last year."He had the throat operation and so far it has been a success," McArdle said."I'm very happy with the horse. He has done ever
Talented sprinter Amerryking can crown a comeback from a career-threatening condition in the Standish Handicap at Flemington.
Trainer John McArdle is thrilled with the six-year-old's recovery from an operation for a collapsed throat and excited he will get a second chance at the Group Three Standish (1200m) on Thursday after finishing just behind the placegetters last year.
"He had the throat operation and so far it has been a success," McArdle said.
"I'm very happy with the horse. He has done everything right."
Formerly trained by John Hawkes, Amerryking has only had five runs for McArdle but it was obvious early on there was a major problem.
At his second start for his new stable in May he was beaten 12 lengths at Flemington and the following month finished 21 lengths from the winner at Bendigo before vets diagnosed that his throat was collapsing.
McArdle said there was only a 50-50 chance that Amerryking would race again but the stakes-placed sprinter was able to return last month with a slashing third over 1000 metres at Moonee Valley.
Concern that Amerryking may only be able to cope with 1000-metre sprints was put the test last start when he rocketed home on heavy ground to win the Allbern Print and Design Handicap (1200m) at Flemington.
"He's a naturally-gifted horse and he did win very well last start," McArdle said.
"The cut out of the ground certainly helped him as he does like wet ground, but he's always shown he was a pretty talented horse.
"He only got beaten 2-1/2 lengths when sixth in the Standish last season so hopefully he can run up to that kind of form again on Thursday."
Mark Pegus has ridden Amerryking in his two comeback runs and will partner the seven-time city winner again in the Standish.
"Hopefully Mark can put him away for the first 400 or 500 metres, then let him come out and make his run," McArdle said.
Amerryking and Publishing are the only horses contesting the Standish for the second year in a row.
Trained by John Sadler, Publishing is a $5 second favourite to become the first horse in 58 years to win back-to-back Standish Handicaps while Amerryking is a $13 chance.
Christmas Stakes runner-up Orbit Express is the $4 favourite but a Standish Handicap winner hasn't come through the Christmas Stakes since Let's Planet in 2002.
King Hoaks ($15) would complete the summer trophy cabinet for Moe trainer Allison Bennett and give jockey Darren Gauci his fifth Standish Handicap win.
Bennett already has one summer feature to her credit, having trained Makibaoh to win the 2001 Bagot Handicap.
Gauci won his first Standish Handicap on the Angus Armanasco-trained True Version in 1986. His other winners were Jolly Old Mac (1992) for John Sadler and the John Hawkes-trained pair Whistle Up (1999) and Upright (2000).