Tuesday, 7 July 2009: Plans for Singapore sprint star Rocket Man to race in Australia next season have been scuttled by a leg injury that will sideline him for at least six months.

Rocket Man
Photo by Racing and Sports  




Rocket Man suffered a hairline condylar fracture of the cannon bone to his off-side foreleg during trackwork at Kranji on Tuesday morning.

Options for trainer Patrick Shaw are for Rocket Man to have a screw inserted in the bone or to let it heal naturally which could keep him out of action for up to 12 months.

Shaw said he favoured Rocket Man having the injury repaired under an operation.

Rocket Man suffered the injury while cantering on the Polytrack under jockey Robbie Fradd.

“Robbie knows the horse so well and thankfully he was on him this morning,” Shaw told the Singapore Turf Club media department.

“He was out to do two rounds of light work, quickening up in the second lap, but Robbie just felt there was something wrong with him.

“He didn't let him stride up and kept a tight hold of him before dismounting and leading him back.

“It's lucky we have found it now and it didn't happen during a race or a fast gallop.

“The result could have been a lot different.”

Shaw believes the Australian-bred rising four-year-old will make it back to the racetrack.

“He's still a young horse and the prognosis is good so far,” said Shaw.

“We will just have to keep our fingers crossed and hope the operation is a success.”

Rocket Man was unbeaten before his courageous second to Sacred Kingdom in the Group 1 KrisFlyer International Sprint over 1200m on May 17.

Rocket Man was back in work preparing for a possible trip to Japan for the Group 1 Spinters' Stakes over 1200m at Nakayama on October 4.

The Hong Kong Sprint in December and the Melbourne autumn double of the Lightning Stakes and Newmarket Handicap were also under consideration.

Shaw visited Japan only last week to inspect quarantine facilities.

In othjer Singapore news 20-year-old Adelaide jockey Ryan Plumb will be riding the Steven Burridge-trained Switchblade in the $S1 million Singapore Derby (2000m) at Kranji on Sunday.

Plumb will also be riding at Kranji on Friday night.

He had a three months stint in Singapore in 2007 when he rode 13 winners.

Switchblade, winner of threew of his last six starts, is by Fusaichi Pegasus out of Cox Plate winner Dane Ripper.

Brett Prebble has also been booked for a Derby ride on Big Maverick.


what a shame

來港無望??:ddd: :ddd:

唉,錯失多場1級大賽...

意外 定係上次力拚生輝 ge 結果 :lll: