Superstar pacer Lochinvar Art looks set to miss all of this season's major features including the Inter Dominion Championships, with connections opting for a cautious approach to new injury concerns.
The horse's new trainer Kasey Kent told thetrots.com.au that further issues had developed as a result of a highly publicised foot abscess, which has sidelined the five-year-old from the races since his win in February's Del-Re National A.G. Hunter Cup.
"He's been offloading his weight to his hind to compensate for the soreness in the front," Kent said.
"Because he was lame for quite a long period of time with the foot abscess, the issues have now come in the hind leg and up high in the rump... some general soreness. And then the bone bruising as well."
Kent said it had been decided to give Lochinvar Art much longer than required to overcome his ailments.
"The vet advised eight to 12 weeks, but we are going to give him four months just to make sure that he makes a full recovery," Kent said.
"Obviously, we will do everything to protect Arty and his welfare. And we want to preserve his racing career, so that's our main goal.
"The vet said that he'd make a full recovery, but he's done a lot for us and we don't want to let him down. We want to look after him so that we can continue racing for as long as possible."
Kent said the option of collecting semen from Lochinvar Art while spelling is being considered.
Lochinvar Art's last racetrack appearance was in the $500,000 Hunter Cup at Tabcorp Park Melton on February 6, which he won to claim a seventh Group 1 feature.
He had been aimed towards the Miracle Mile in early March, but the ongoing foot issues eventually saw those plans abandoned.
The horse holds a brilliant career record of 28 wins from 50 starts for earnings of more than $1.3million.
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