Pin-up chaser Up Hill Jill has been scratched from tonight’s group 1 Sapphire Crown heats after x-rays revealed a small hairline crack to her metatarsal.
The three-time group 1 winner was aiming to reach her second Sapphire Crown final, a race in which she finished second to Maja Mahi Mahi last year. Her trainer David Geall says that while disappointing, the decision to scratch was the right one.
“She doesn’t show any soreness at all, but there was a little bit of fluid in the area and I could tell something wasn’t right so I decided to get it x-rayed,” he said.
“The x-ray showed a small hairline crack – you would never have found it without the x-ray – so rather than risk her doing more serious damage we decided to scratch. It’s disappointing, but it’s the right decision.”
Geall believes the injury was likely to have been the result of check in a heat of the recent Ladies Bracelet at Wentworth Park.
“She got turned sideways and nearly fell, but she picked herself up and still ran second,” he continued.
“We worked on her leading into the final and even though she ran a huge race and her run home time was massive (when running second to Miss Splendamiro), I could tell something was bothering her. She wasn’t lame or sore, but I could tell she wasn’t right.
Geall says that the injury will require 4-6 weeks to heal completely and is hopeful that she will recover in time for a tilt at the National Sprint Championship, the grand final of which is to be run at Sandown Park on Friday 24 August.
While disappointed to lose Up Hill Jill ahead of the Sapphire Crown, Geall was excited about the prospects of her younger half-brother, My Redeemer. Another brilliant son of brilliant sprinter Fernando Bale, My Redeemer ran a brilliant 29.12 when winning from box 6 two weeks ago – the same box from which he’ll jump tonight – and was a gallant third overall in last week’s Bill Collins Speed Star.
“He’s really good, I just hope he can overcome box 6,” he said. This will be the fourth consecutive race in which he’ll don the green rug.
“He bombed the start last week and just stumbled a little when her crossed Elevated – he just crossed her a bit too quickly – so he could have gone a bit faster if he did everything right.
“He’s such a good finisher and a hard chaser. It’s probably a bit early for him to contest an open group 1, but his last two runs have been massive. He’s a very exciting dog that’s for sure.”
Tonight is one of the best night of racing for the year with four heats of three group 1 series – the RSN Sandown Cup, the Sapphire Crown, and the Harrison-Dawson – to be run. The winner and runner up will progress to their respective finals on Thursday 24 May.
TAB.com.au has a $20,000 projected First Pool on all 12 races this Thursday night! Click here for Thursday night’s form guide.
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