Smart trotter Dark Horse won't race this season.
The five year old mare was scratched from the Southern Lights at the Northern Southland meeting on Saturday after her trainer Nathan Williamson came back from the Winton Workouts to find her lame in the paddock.
The injury was diagnosed on Friday as a hind suspensory injury.
"It's worse that it happened the day before her race. You spend three months working towards this race. It's very frustrating. She's like one of the family and I spend a lot of time with her," Williamson said when I spoke to him on Friday.
Dark Horse was scanned today by local vet Brendon Bell, and a year away from racing was recommended.
"She'll stay at home and be boxed for a while, re-scanned, do some hand walking and have a long slow build up. The vet sounded hopeful. I guess we'll aim at the Southern Lights next year."
The Bacardi Lindy mare is raced on lease by the Griffins and Seafield Trotting Syndicate who have been eagerly awaiting her return to the racetrack as have all of the Southland Harness Racing fraternity.
From her twenty race-day appearances Dark Horse has won nine races and banked $84,541. One of her attributes was her high speed and Williamson was certainly happy with her condition and buildup going into Saturday's feature. She last raced at Addington in the middle of November.
Meanwhile he was very complimentary of Haras des Trotteurs for sponsoring the inaurgural Southland Trotting Oaks on Saturday.
"I have a couple of nice two year old trotting fillies who will certainly be aimed at the race next season. It's good that it was supported by Northern trainers along with locals," he said.
Bruce Stewart
Southland Harness Racing