A stress fracture has sidelined brilliant trotter Wobelee from the Victoria Derby and Breeders Crown but trainer Alison Alford is confident he will make a full recovery.
Having won 14 of his 19 starts, including five Group 1s, Alford’s three-year-old will be gifted a much-deserved rest until after Christmas to mend, with connections grateful the injury was discovered before it developed further.
“It’s a stress fracture from wear and tear. Good horses naturally push themselves harder,” Alford said.
The injury was discovered after the gelding was sent for a scintigraphy, which highlights hotspots and inflammation.
“(Driver) Chris (Alford) had a niggling feeling something wasn’t right with him, but we had no idea what,” Alford said. “(Wobelee) just wasn’t happy and was probably a bit more cantankerous than usual.
“The test came up with inflammation in his knees and a couple of other spots. We brought him home and x-rayed him and found there was small movement in his knee. He had a MRI and it showed his knee’s change and we were told that if he didn’t rest it could become more significant.”
The stress fracture is a considerable disappointment given Wobelee’s impending tilt at the Seelite Windows and Doors Victoria Trotters Derby on August 5 and his favouritism in future markets for the three-year-old boys trotting Breeders Crown.
But connections are taking considerable comfort that the fan favourite’s injury had been discovered before it worsened.
“We’re just so lucky that Chris picked up on it,” Alford said. “He wasn’t lame or racing terribly, but you wonder how much it has annoyed him.
“He will have six months off and it should then be onwards and upwards. He will likely come back in just after Christmas and probably have a drawn out prep, but there should be no reason why he can’t be in next year’s big races.”
