By Michael Guerin
One of racing's great warriors has lost another battle.
Giant pacer Sharp And Telford will head back to the spelling paddock today with a torn tendon.
Just a week ago the big fella was rated one of the serious dangers to Christian Cullen in the Auckland Cup. But it may have been that race which caused the latest setback to his chequered career.
Making matters worse was the scan yesterday showed the latest injury is to Sharp And Telford's off front leg, while the injury that ruined last season for him was to his near front leg.
"It is a great shame because every time he gets back to the sort of fitness that allows him to show his best he injures himself," said trainer Mark Purdon.
"At this stage he will go into the paddock for three months."
That means Sharp And Telford will miss the Interdominions at Alexandra Park in March but he may be set for a winter campaign, possibly in Brisbane.
"I wouldn't want him to stay away from the track until next season because it would then be much too difficult to get him back to his best."
Purdon has spent countless hours over the last year patching up the mammoth pacer but says even though that has not paid off financially, he is happy he did it.
"I don't regret any time I spend with him because he is such a lovely horse to be around."
While the injury also robs the last night of the Auckland Trotting Club's meeting of one of its stars, ATC officials still had plenty of reasons to smile yesterday.
Such was the quality of the acceptors for the final night of the Cup carnival the ATC has carded 11 races.
"This would be the strongest race meeting in terms of depth I can remember putting together for a long time," ATC racing secretary Robert Death said.
Any meeting with wonder horses Courage Under Fire in a $165,000 race and Merinai in a $25,000 trot would be a huge boost to any club, but Friday's programme provides much more.
The ATC will also host the best 3-year-old fillies for $70,000 and two pacing Free-For-Alls, a first for the club in recent years.
And the meeting promises a host of highlights among the minor clashes, with fine 3-year-old Cigar up against budding star New York Fella and Ho Wong taking on a superb class one field.
The ATC stopped short of applying to the TAB to have Courage Under Fire exempt from betting in the PGG Sales Series Pace after discovering it was not possible under the Racing Act.
The unbeaten pacing hero drew the second line in a fairly handy field so punters may be lucky enough to get a $1.10 win dividend for him.
Horse Racing: Another setback for pacing star
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