Racing: Future of classy trotter Stig in doubt after old injury flares up

Stig's injury has placed his career in jeopardy. Photo / Mark Mitchell

The future of champion trotter Stig is in doubt after another injury setback.

The freakish trotter will miss not only next month's Alexandra Park meeting but the Interdominions in Victoria in February.

Canterbury trainer Paul Nairn said Stig's whole career was in jeopardy.

Stig is struggling again with soreness in the same hock which ended his last campaign and Nairn will have it x-rayed again this week.

But what really concerns the great trainer is the injury has flared up at a time when Stig has had no real pressure placed on him.

"He isn't even close to getting to the races at the moment and it is troubling him," says Nairn.

"I'd say everything is up in the air at the moment and for a horse like him, who is very rarely totally sound, it does make you worry about his career.

"He still has time on his side but to be sore at the moment when he hasn't even been fast working much is a bit of a worry."

Stig has not raced since two stunning performances at the Auckland Cup meeting in March, when he easily beat champion mare One Over Kenny.

The hock injury became evident soon after and he was forced into the paddock, while One Over Kenny went on to dominate the autumn features, including winning the Rowe Cup.

Since reaching open-class, when he has raced Stig has shown he is our best trotter since Lyell Creek.

Now, even if he does make it back to the track the best Nairn can hope for is a tilt at the Rowe Cup in May.

"But we will take it slowly and if he has to go back in the paddock again then he will," said Nairn.

"While it doesn't look good sometimes bones actually weaken when a horse is not in work so maybe there is some hope for him." The sidelining of Stig doesn't leave Nairn without an open-class trotter, though, as he has former Rowe Cup winner Inspire back in work.

The lightly raced mare has not been seen on the track in 18 months since she, too, suffered an injury and is now a mother. "She now has a foal at foot but is back in work and seems very well so we might have another crack at the Rowe Cup with her."

While foal-producing mares even attempting racetrack comebacks at the highest level are rare, the most successful bids are usually made by trotters, who often race until they are at least 10.

This month's New Zealand Trotting Free-For-All winner Speculate has gone one better than that, being not only a broodmare but her first foal has also produced a foal, making her a rarity - a group one winning, actively racing grand-dam.