Racing: Miss Potential battle scarred after patchy run

BRISBANE - Miss Potential is in the wars again, suffering puncture wounds and a swollen leg after her fourth in the Doomben 10,000 in Brisbane on Saturday.

Waikato trainer Bill Borrie hopes the mare, who recovered from a broken leg two years ago, will bounce back in time to run in the A$1 million ($1.2 million) Stradbroke Handicap at Eagle Farm on June 10.

The injuries occurred some 200m after the start of the group one 1350m race when she was the victim of severe crowding.

"She got away fine, but they tightened her," Borrie said yesterday.

"The inside horses came out and the outside horses came in and she was in the middle of it and got carved up."

She lost her handy position as a result and her run to get fourth behind Darwin-trained Undue was a superb effort as she was at the tail when they turned into the straight.

Even then she had trouble getting clear.

The stewards' summary points out her woes: "Hampered at 1100m. Raced in restricted room soon after straightening. Hampered near 300m. Checked at 150m."

Borrie said Miss Potential suffered puncture wounds in both front legs and one in a back leg.

"Her offside foreleg is very swollen, but we've hosed it, bandaged it and walked her," he said.

"The horse isn't lame, she is as good as gold, but it is always concerning when you get bangs and nicks and cuts around that tendon area, so we will watch it over the next couple of days.

"If she recovers pretty smartly and we can get back on track, we are heading for the Stradbroke.

"That is the plan and we are keen to carry on."

Borrie said he was thrilled with the way she finished the race after being involved in so much trouble.

"It was probably good enough to be a winning run on most days, but not on Saturday.

"It certainly put paid to a lot of speculation as to whether she can run from behind or not."

Borrie said he would offer Chris Johnson, who rode her on Saturday, the mount in the Stradbroke.

Bookmakers took note of the performance, slashing her Stradbroke odds from $67 to $21.

Miss Potential, Cog Hill ($7), Gee I Jane ($9) and La Sizeranne ($17) form a strong New Zealand quartet to attack the Stradbroke.

Waikato trainer Roger James confirmed La Sizeranne would have a crack at the big race after he was encouraged by her strong run for second at Doomben the previous weekend.

"She's absolutely thrived since and the big track will suit her and she drops seven kilos," James told Sky Channel's Racing Retro.

James enhanced his already fine record at the Queensland carnival when Gemstone won a two-win metropolitan handicap at Doomben yesterday.

James was asked to take Gemstone, a sister to group one winner Penny Gem, to Queensland by South Auckland trainer Moira Murdoch.

Gemstone powered home on Saturday and is likely to be aimed at some stakes races later at the carnival.

The next best performance from a New Zealand runner yesterday was Haylee Baylee's run for third in the group three Premier's Cup (2200m).

The mare had to undergo a vet test before the race after she was troubled by a bug during the week, but boxed on solidly to finish a close third behind Coalesce and Holidazzle.

Taranaki trainer John Wheeler's gelding Pentathon ran on from the back for a close fifth, while Empyreal was seventh. Bazelle had to race wide early but disappointed in dropping out to finish 13th.

Empyreal's stablemate, Sculptor, ran an encouraging fifth in the group three Rough Habit Plate, with Our Roman Chariot eighth in the same race.

Stephen Marsh's horse Anca was a close up fourth in the Gunsynd Quality and looked as if she would benefit from the run.

- NZPA