Emotionless, the brilliant Godolphin colt who suffered a knee injury in Saturday's G1 Dubai Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket, is expected to be back in light exercise in December. Trainer Charlie Appleby is confident the G1 2,000 Guineas remains a realistic objective in the Spring.
Emotionless, the brilliant Godolphin colt who suffered a knee injury in Saturday's G1 Dubai Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket, is expected to be back in light exercise in December. Trainer Charlie Appleby is confident the G1 2,000 Guineas remains a realistic objective in the Spring.
Connections were left stunned when Emotionless trailed in last of seven behind Air Force Blue, with jockey William Buick reporting the Champagne Stakes winner to be 'gone' after travelling just 100 yards.
On Sunday, x-rays showed the colt had suffered a chip to his left fore knee. "He will be booked in for an operation immediately," Appleby reported. "It is one of the more common injuries with young racehorses, but it is a relatively simple procedure to remove the chip.
"He would then have a little rest and be back at light exercise in a few weeks. If we get a clear run with him, there is no reason why he wouldn't remain on target for one of the Guineas trials in April, probably the Greenham Stakes at Newbury.
"We suspected something was amiss with him. You don't win a G2, as he did at Doncaster, with such ease and authority, and then run like that. There had to be an explanation, and we have found it," the trainer added.
Air Force Blue won very impressively by three and a quarter lengths, beating Massaat and Sanus Per Aquam, and the Ballydole colt is now odds-on favourite with some firms for the 2,000 Guineas in May.
The two-day Dubai Future Champions Festival drew good-sized crowds, with two attractive cards programmed. Total attendance was 19,770. The emphasis, on pin-pointing those colts and fillies who will figure in the Classics in Spring, seems to work well, and on going that is suitable and appropriate for young horses at the back end of the season.
An unexpected highlight came when jockey Adam Beschizza got up in the last strides to land the Cesarewitch, over the 'marathon' two-and-a-quarter-mile trip, on 50-1 chance Grumetti, thus completing the Cambridgeshire-Cesarewitch Autumn double, two of the most difficult handicaps of the year.
Hugo Palmer sent out Dr Ali Ridha's Gifted Master to win the G3 Autumn Stakes, over one mile. Normally, such a display would underline the winner as a Classic contender, but as he is gelded, that option has been ruled out. Newmarket's Free Handicap or Craven Stakes are feasible alternatives.
Jim Bolger has regularly been a big name at this meeting, and while Sanus Per Aquam was well held in the Dewhurst -- "He didn't come down the hill, into the dip," the trainer reported -- he picked up the Listed Zetland Stakes with Glamorous Approach, a New Approach filly who is now an Investec Oaks contender.
In Australia, a major debate has broken out concerning the preparation of track surfaces in Melbourne.
Prominent owner Lloyd Williams went public with complaints that his horse Fawkner came back sore after his sixth in the G1 Caulfield Stakes.
"When we got him home, we found he was the victim of a hard track (ground)," Williams told the Sydney Morning Herald.
David Hayes, trainer of the much-travelled winner Criterion, agreed with Williams, and he called for surfaces to be prepared on the 'dead' side. He wanted some give underfoot, which he said would be fair for all.
"I get up in the morning and I go down to the stables and sometimes put my hands over my eyes in fear that I might see that some of my horses from the day before are shuffling in their box," Hayes said.
Racing Victoria, the controlling body, responded by stressing that their policy states that 'Firm' tracks are unacceptable. Their aim is to achieve a "Good 3," which in reality is on the quick side of Good.
Godolphin trainer John O'Shea has indicated that as a precaution, he will walk the tracks at Caulfield before Saturday's G1 Caulfield Cup (in which Complacent holds an entry) and Moonee Valley prior to the G1 Cox Plate on October 24 (the target for Contributer and Hartnell).
Contributer finished a lack-lustre fifth in the G1 Caulfield Stakes, and it seems the fast going may have been a factor.
In America, trainer Kiaran McLaughlin, reports that the Godolphin filly Santiero Sentiero Italia will indicate whether she is ready for a crack at the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf at Keeneland on October 31. She finished a solid third in the G1 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup, behind Her Emmynency and Miss Temple City.
"Frankly, I didn't like the race shape," McLaughlin said. "She will tell us whether we should go to the Breeders' Cup. We will monitor her progress in the next few days," he added.
