Star Tasmanian four-year-old Mister Songman has had an operation to remove bone chips from a fetlock but connections are hoping he will be back in action during the Brisbane winter carnival.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
A winner of four of his seven starts in Tasmania, Mister Songman has created a big impression since joining the Gai Waterhouse stable in Sydney where he was a seven-length winner at Randwick a fortnight ago.
Launceston part-owner John Burke said the bone chips had been present throughout his racing career.
“He’s had them all along – (previous trainer) Royston Carr and Gai were both aware of them but he’s never been lame a day in his life,” Burke said.
“At least we got a three-year-old season out of him and what he’s done at four before we had to worry about getting them removed.
“With Gai looking at the Brisbane carnival, now is probably the perfect time to get the operation done.”
Mister Songman had key-hole surgery last Monday.
“He’s off to the farm to recuperate and will spend about a month in his stall, month in a small paddock and month in a big paddock,” Burke said.
“He should be back in work in 2-½ to 3 months.”
HARJEET OUT-REVS SCOOTER AGAIN
The two best pacers racing in Tasmania staged an another epic duel in the $12,000 Toreace Flying Mile in Hobart on Sunday night.
And, as was the case in the Tassie Golden Apple a month earlier, Harjeet prevailed by the narrowest of margins over Scooterwillrev.
The result was the same but the circumstances of the race were entirely different.
In the Mowbray feature race, Harjeet led with Scooterwillrev on his outside but this time it was Scooterwillrev who found the front, albeit having to work three wide for the first 600m to do so.
Harjeet also went forward three wide to find the death at the 900m mark.
Scooterwillrev, driven by Rohan Hadley, looked like he might hold Harjeet at bay for most of the home straight but Harjeet, driven by Todd Rattray, rallied late.
The time for the 1609m of 1:55.35 was only a whisker outside the track record of 1:55.3 set by Richie Walton in 2008.
Spreyton trainer Steve Davis continued his good run when Ima Ginger Rogers won the $12,000 Matron Stakes after a copybook drive from Ricky Duggan.
Davis has recently picked up the St Marys and Scottsdale Cups with Black Centurian who will now have another crack at the Devonport Cup on Sunday week.
The gelding has already run in four Devonport Cups for two seconds and a fourth.