Racing: Horse Cold Chisel passes early X-ray tests after leg injury fears

Harness racehorse Cold Chisel in action earlier this year. Photo / Supplied

No news is good news for top class 3-year-old pacer Cold Chisel.

The Northern Derby winner pulled up very lame after Monday’s Flying Stakes at Ashburton and was rushed to a veterinary clinic in the horse ambulance.

But so far fears of a potential major leg injury haven’t become a reality with extensive X-rays showing no damage.

“The vets can’t find anything,” says co-trainer Scott Phelan. “That is not to say there isn’t a hairline fracture there somewhere that won’t become more apparent in coming days, which they sometimes do.

“But at the moment we have no idea what has happened, and I suppose that is good because if it had been an obvious issue it probably would have been more major.

“He is still lame today [Tuesday] and I wouldn’t be surprised if there is maybe a small fracture there, even in something like a pedal bone.

“But even if that is the case it means after a break, and box and paddock rest he could race again.

“And more importantly live a full life once he has finished racing.

“So, we will let people know as we know more.”

While Cold Chisel won’t be seen at the races any time soon, the stable’s three open-class horses are heading down different paths potentially meeting up in the $1million IRT New Zealand Cup on November 12.

Merlin came through his Flying Stakes win in great shape and heads straight to the Cup while Mach Shard will go to the Kaikōura Cup next Monday.

Miracle Mile runner-up Sooner The Better also heads to Kaikōura but will miss the Cup there and instead start in the $50,000 NZBS Yearling Sales Series Pace.

Michael Guerin wrote his first nationally published racing articles while still in school and started writing about horse racing and the gambling industry for the Herald as a 20-year-old in 1990. He became the Herald’s racing editor in 1995 and covers the world’s biggest horse racing carnivals.