By MICHAEL GUERIN
Courage Under Fire traded an old problem in for two new ones yesterday.
The unbeaten New Zealand champion eased concerns over his heel injury with a blistering workout at Moonee Valley.
But trainer Bruce Negus was left with new concerns over the 4-year-old's weight and then a potentially dangerous barrier draw for his first Interdom heat on Saturday night. Courage Under Fire worked over 2400m with a galloping pacemaker yesterday morning, pacing his last 1609m in 1:57.4, the final 800 in 55.2, his last 400 in 27.3.
Those sectionals and the way the champ drove confirmed Courage Under Fire was over the heel abscess which threatened his Interdom campaign last Thursday.
"He has responded very well to treatment and he drove very straight today, which showed me he is not feeling any pain," said Negus.
While the workout showed Courage Under Fire is bouncing back from his injury it did also indicate the champ is below peak fitness for his start to the Interdom series. "He was getting tired the last 50m and I could feel that his final sprint wasn't as sharp as usual," said Negus.
That is attributed to the 10kg Courage Under Fire has put on since last Thursday because of his reduced workload. "With the injured heel I haven't worked him as hard and he has stacked on the weight because he is doing so well. "That being the case he will definitely be going into the heat on Saturday underdone."
Because of those fitness concerns Negus was thrilled to learn Courage Under Fire has drawn the weakest heat of the night.
And he was also not too concerned about what initially looked a tricky barrier at one on the second line, which sounds a perfect opportunity for his Australian rivals to make things hard for the series favourite. But it could play into his flying little hooves.
In Melbourne the horse drawn one on the second line scores up behind the horses drawn one and two on the front line, having the option the push on to the back of the horse drawn two at the start.
"If he begins as well as he can he will be straight on to the back of the horse drawn barrier two and that could be ideal," said Negus.
"Because he will be a bit underdone this week is the perfect chance for Colin to drive him with a sit and show just what sort of sprint he has got.
"I was hoping we would get that chance early in the series and it looks like we have."
While he appears to have recovered from his injury, Courage Under Fire has still drifted in Interdominion betting and was at $3.50 with leading Sydney bookmaker Steven Single yesterday.
In an unusual twist, Harness Racing Victoria officials took a swab from Courage Under Fire after yesterday's workout.
It was not that they were worried the little champ was on any performance-enhancing substances but a precautionary measure to ensure the antibiotics which were used to treat the heel injury had cleared from his system. "I was happy for them to test him because the course of antibiotic ended on Monday and they will be completely out of his system before he races but we are better safe than sorry,"said Negus.
Racing: Champ getting better but fatter
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