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Long Road Back For Group One Veterans

3 minute read

Triple Group One winner Gailo Chop is making solid progress towards a spring comeback under his new trainer Matthew Williams.

The rising 9YO has had a long rehabilitation from a second tendon injury, being off the scene since he finished second to Winx in the 2018 Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Randwick when trained by Darren Weir.

Gailo Chop
Gailo Chop Picture: Steve Hart

Ballarat-based Williams started treadmill work with Gailo Chop six weeks ago and gave the import his first serious piece of work on Ballarat's synthetic polytrack on Tuesday.

"He pulled up terrific," Williams reported. "He had a nice working gallop over the last 600 metres.

He'll get another couple of pieces of work like that and be ready to trial."

Williams said he is working Galo Chop towards a comeback at Flemington in September.

"There'll be room for three trials before he kicks off, all being well, in the Makybe Diva Stakes," Williams said.

"He will then go on to the Underwood Stakes and if he's going all right the Cox Plate.

"His tendon scanned up really good and he's done quite a bit of treadmill and water walker work.

"He doesn't feel like an old horse. There's still a bit of spark about him and we're confident that he's still got it."

Gailo Chop has won 13 of his 29 starts and more than $4.1 million in stakes including his three G1 wins in the 2018 Ranvet Stakes; 2017 Caulfield Stakes and 2015 Mackinnon Stakes.

Black Heart Bart
Black Heart Bart Picture: Racing and Sports

Black Heart Bart, another multiple G1 winner on the comeback trail, also stepped up his program when he competed in an 850m jump out at Ballarat on Tuesday.

The five-time G1 winner, now under the care of Lindsay Smith, finished fourth in the jump-out.

The 8YO was lame and bled internally after he finished last in the G1 Toorak Handicap at Caulfield last October and has strict embargoes on him before he can resume racing.

They include an official trial before stewards over at least 1000m and vet examinations before and after the trial along with a full body scintigraphy.


Racing and Sports

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