Plans to retire Group One winning sprinter Gold Trail have been shelved following successful throat surgery on the gelding.
Trainer Gary Portelli was mystified by his lacklustre midfield performance in last week’s Magic Millions Sprint at the Gold Coast.
A post-race veterinary examination showed nothing wrong but a subsequent endoscopy found his throat was almost closed.
“I though he had bled he went so badly and was all prepared to retire him,” Portelli said.
“Then we had him scoped and found his epiglottis was virtually closed.
“He’s had four multiple surgeries on it and so far everything looks good.
“He’ll have a few weeks off and then come back to racing.
“Now that we know what the problem was and that it has been fixed I’m sure he can get back to something like his best form.
“He’s a seven-year-old gelding and he likes racing so that’s what we’ll do.”
Leading into the Gold Coast race, Portelli had given Gold Trail two barrier trials, both of which he won despite the problem.
“Usually when horses have a wind problem, they make a lot of noise,” Portelli said.
“He didn’t. He just came back blowing after the trial and I thought I hadn’t worked him hard enough.
“It makes you wonder if other horses have had a similar problem but it hasn’t been detected.”
Gold Trail has been a stellar performer for the stable since his first win in April 2008.
His six subsequent victories include the 2010 Group One Railway Stakes in New Zealand and a third in the 2009 Galaxy is among his nine placings.
The Group One Galaxy in April is a race that could once again figure on his program.
Six of Gold Trail’s victories have come over the 1100 metres of the Galaxy with his Group One success his sole win over 1200.
AAP TURF
