By MICHAEL GUERIN
One of the likely heirs to Lyell Creek's abdicated trotting throne will now not race again.
Outstanding trotter Enthusiast was one of the serious challengers to take over from Lyell Creek now the champ has moved to the Northern Hemisphere.
But trainer Paul Nairn admits he may have lost the battle to get Enthusiast back on the track.
The four-year-old mare has not raced since going amiss late last season when taking on tough older rivals at Alexandra Park as a tiny three-year-old.
That saw her miss a lucrative Australian campaign but her stunning earlier form at Alexandra Park and Addington resulted in her being voted unanimously Three-Year-Old Trotter of the Year.
She effortlessly won all the major three-year-old trots and broke the 2:00 mark for a mile at Ashburton last February, stamping herself as the best trotting filly produced in New Zealand.
But the damage to a hind suspensory ligament which ended her season last term has not repaired as Nairn would have liked and he is facing up to the realisation Enthusiast's future may lie in the breeding paddock.
"The damage was still there last time we had her scanned which is not a good sign after such a long time," said Nairn.
"Some horses can come back from an injury like this - Call Me Now did and went on to win $500,000 - but it doesn't look good for her."
Waikato filly Hot Shoe Shuffle had to settle for second in the $A200,00 Breeder Crown Fillies Final in Victoria yesterday.
The favourite cost herself a winning show by skipping early, allowing second favourite Sassy Sarah to easily hold the front.
That forced Hot Shoe Shuffle to sit parked and with the winner pacing a hot 1:57.7 mile rate the New Zealand filly was struggling on the home turn.
She did a fine job to hold on for a well-beaten second.
Racing: Trotting career over for Enthusiast
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