KEY POINTS:
SYDNEY - Trainer Anthony Cummings has hosed down injury concerns over Golden Slipper favourite Danehill Smile, who was initially thought to have pulled up acutely lame after a barrier trial at Randwick yesterday.
The unbeaten youngster was sent to the Randwick Equine Centre for a full examination after a Racing NSW veterinarian, who checked her over after the barrier trial, feared she may have injured her off hind leg.
However, Cummings said the initial test results indicated the problem wasn't as bad as first thought.
"The vet was concerned she'd done an injury but that doesn't seem to be the case," Cummings said.
"The worst expectations the vet had don't seem to be accurate, thankfully.
"I think she's just pulled up a bit muscle sore."
Cummings said Danehill Smile was reluctant to go into the barriers for her 740m heat and was a bit slow to jump for jockey Darren Beadman.
"Darren said she felt a bit stiff in the first 50 to 100m but, by the time they got to the top of the straight, she was keen to go on with it," Cummings said.
"We only wanted to give her an easy trial so we certainly got that."
Danehill Smile rocketed to the top of markets for the A$3.5 million ($4 million) Golden Slipper after she maintained her unbeaten run with an explosive victory in the Inglis Classic (1200m) at Randwick last month.
She was the $5 elect with TAB Sportsbet, which suspended betting on the March 31 showpiece following the trial incident.
Cummings said that if Danehill Smile was confirmed to be suffering muscle soreness the setback would only be a minor one.
"It would only take her a couple of days to get over, I'd say," the trainer said.
"She's still a 50-50 chance to gallop between races at Randwick on Saturday."
- AAP
