Zonda has gone amiss again and trainer Roger James is devastated.
James walked around the Karaka sales complex in South Auckland yesterday inspecting yearlings in a state of shock, absorbing the thought that Zonda may not race again this autumn.
Racing's unluckiest horse has torn a muscle in his hindquarters, explaining his worst performance when he beat only two runners home in Saturday's $130,000 Thorndon Mile.
"I'm gutted, I just can't believe it," said James.
Zonda spent the best part of three years away from the racetrack with a series of niggling problems and returned this summer with two sparkling winning performances at the Auckland Cup carnival.
James knew something was amiss when Zonda seemed unable to stay in touch with the second last horse approaching the home turn.
Zonda was short in his action cooling off and one and a half hours after the race he was very sore in the hindquarters.
"And I mean very, very sore," said James. "We got onto it quickly with anti-inflammatory drugs."
James felt a little better after a mid-afternoon call yesterday from Matamata veterinarian Jim Marks.
"Jim doesn't seem to think it's as serious as I first did. Soft tissue injuries do repair."
Zonda had been aiming at the $A1.25 million Australian Cup at Flemington on March 12.
"Practically, the Australian Cup is out, but let's see what the end of the week brings. By then we will know if we've got any chance of racing in the autumn.
Racing: Torn muscle takes Zonda out
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