KEY POINTS:
Minstrel Court does not have a fractured fetlock as first thought after pulling up sore in Saturday's $100,000 Dominion Post Wellington Stakes.
But his career is still likely to be over. The Danehill Dancer colt has been found to have a blown suspensory in a foreleg.
After leaving Trentham, the high-class 3-year-old was taken to Otaki, where his leg was x-rayed.
"It showed he didn't have a fracture, it's a suspensory," said trainer Mark Walker.
Minstrel Court arrived back at Walker's Matamata stable yesterday.
"It's heavily strapped up and it may be game over for him," said Walker.
Minstrel Court's best performance was his third to stablemate Tell A Tale and Il Quello Veloce in the $1 million 2000 Guineas at Riccarton.
Mark Walker had plenty to be pleased about with King's Ransom winning the $100,000 Ford Wakefield Challenge Stakes.
King's Ransom and stablemate Numero De Lago, in finishing fourth, earned enough stakemoney to force their way into the $1 million Karaka Million at Ellerslie next Monday.
Mark Walker has four horses inside the 14 guaranteed a start and three just outside the 14.
Those in the field, if Walker decides to run them, are King's Ransom, Ransom Success, Numero De Lago and Corsage.
"I'll wait until Wednesday morning to see how they do."
King's Ransom sat wide throughout the Wakefield from his outside barrier, something that might have cost him the race.
But instead of yielding late he forged past the opposition and won comfortably.
Walker gave Troy Harris the choice of the two rides and he went for King's Ransom, but after galloping Numero De Lago midweek said he wasn't at all sure he'd made the right choice.
He had, but Numero De Lago also turned in a beaut, getting hemmed in behind horses for much of the home straight and getting clear very late.
"It was a better run than it looked," said Mark Walker.
Cambridge youngster Veldt flew home into second from well back for Sydney-based South African rider Jeff Lloyd.
It was a top trial for next Sunday's big race.
* * *
What a filly Shanzero is.
Few horses with her lack of experience could have come from as far back as she did on the home bend to win the $100,000 Wellington Stakes.
Superb.
But as smart as she is there is no guarantee she will run in either the $2.2 million Telecom Derby at Ellerslie on February 28 or the NZ Oaks at Trentham on March 14.
Shanzero is nominated only for the Derby, but the opportunity is there for a late Oaks nomination.
"I really don't know whether to aim her for the middle distance races or keep her to 1400m," says trainer Richard Collett.
"I won't make my mind up until later this week.""
Collett's next option is the 2000m Cambridge Stud Sir Tristram Classic at Te Rapa on February 7, or the $200,000 Waikato Draught Sprint at 1400m the same day.
"The reason we took her to Trentham to race against the males this week is because it gave us an extra week for her to recover for either of those Te Rapa races.
"We felt that if we went down for the fillies' race next weekend and had a hard race, it was only two weeks to Te Rapa and that might have been too hard on her."
Collett says even though Saturday's race was at 1600m, he doesn't believe the filly's racing days at 1400m are over.
"She's by Danzero, who won the Golden Slipper out of a mare by Marauding, who also won the Slipper, so it's interesting breeding.
"I've no doubt she'd handle a middle distance against her own age group, but I'm mindful of the fact she's a lean, lightly-framed filly at this point and she's still growing.
"She'll be a lot stronger in a year's time.
"I suppose if we decide to go to the 2000 fillies' race at Te Rapa then you put yourself in a position that you have to look at the Derby.
"I really don't want to make a call on it yet."
Shanzero had to weave and push her way through the field near the inside for Leith Innes and she didn't flinch in the final 100m when attacked by another fast finisher in Six Star.
* * *
Crossyourheart is finished as a racing proposition in this part of the world after bleeding for the second time
during the running of the Integrated Print Solutions sprint at Avondale.
The $500,000 Classique winner at Te Rapa as a juvenile recently changed ownership to that of an Australian-based stud farm.
The race was won in good style by Richard Beymer, who defied the opposition after leading to score by a head, from the fast finishing Raid.
Anca looked the improver in finishing third.
Topliner Wahid, having his first race back from a long break, made a little ground from the tail of the field and should take massive improvement from the race and the trip from Taranaki.
Mill Vinnie provided apprentice Danielle Johnson with victory in the staying feature, the Jumbo Waterblasting, but the thrill was moderated somewhat next time out when she copped a suspension for checking Crossyourheart in the early stages. She was suspended up to and including this Friday.
Tarbach looked disappointing in finishing only fourth behind Mill Vinnie, but he was caught out by the tempo of the race.
He settled last and when the field sprinted on the home bend he was left flat footed. He made ground late and should be better suited in a more stamina-based race next time.
