Just as we thought the COVID-19 pandemic was finally waning a new scourge has beset Australian harness racing; but fear not as there looks to light at the end of the tunnel.
While totally unrelated, three of Victoria’s most significant stars have been victims of infection in recent weeks, two equine and one human.
First, there was champion pacer Lochinvar Art.
After claiming the Victoria and Hunter Cups ‘Arty’ looked perfectly placed to fortify his greatness with success in the Miracle Mile but was sadly cruelled by a persistent foot abscess as he approached Australia’s richest pace.
Often abscesses are relatively manageable but Lochinvar Art’s infection persisted and only now is the great pacer showing signs of recovery as he races the clock to compete at Queensland’s carnival.
Next was Hurricane Harley, coincidentally the last horse to defeat Lochinvar Art, who was scratched from January’s Ballarat Cup before being diagnosed with a major hock infection.
So serious was that infection that the two-time Breeders Crown winner required surgery and is only now on his own road to rehabilitation.
His owners Bill and Anne Anderson are taking no changes with their brilliant sprinter and will target a slow, methodical road to races much later in the season starting with October’s Victoria Cup.
And just when you thought enough was enough Australasia’s most successful reinsman Chris Alford found himself in dire straits.
A rogue kick from star mare Sleepee rapidly developed into something far more serious and the man they call Puppet was transferred to St Vincent’s hospital for treatment on a refractory knee infection.
Early signs were worrying but the great horseman has improved sharply following multiple surgeries and, amazingly, is listed to make his racetrack return this weekend.
They say bad news comes in threes and hopefully that’s also the case here.
IN all three racing codes there are two types of trainers that garner great respect.
Obviously, there are the headline acts, the Chris Wallers, the Emma Stewarts and the Jason Thompsons.
Then there are the boutique masters, those horsemen and women that operate small teams but prepare those teams perfectly and give their animals every hope of success.
Adam Stephens is fast falling into the latter category; and tonight at Tabcorp Park his reputation could skyrocket even further.
The son of Allen, who himself has a terrific record over the journey, Adam will put the polish on Ruby Wingate in this evening’s Vicbred Platinum Home Grown Final for three-year-old fillies.
Based on her heat win in that series Ruby Wingate is clearly the benchmark runner, but her task has been made much more difficult after drawing inside the back row.
As a result, Michael Bellman, who has been in flying form, will need to be at his brilliant tactical best to secure Ruby Wingate’s success.