Unbeaten filly Atlantic Jewel will go into light work in two weeks but it remains unclear when she will race again.
The Coolmore-owned and Mark Kavanagh-trained star has been sidelined the last 2-1/2 weeks with a hamstring injury which prevented her running in the VRC Oaks.
Atlantic Jewel was odds-on favourite for the Oaks after her dominant seven-length win in the Group Two Wakeful Stakes (2000m) at Flemington on October 29.
Atlantic Jewel, who is unbeaten in five starts, was also an easy winner of the Group One Thousand Guineas (1600m) at Caulfield on October 12.
Kavanagh said scans had cleared Atlantic Jewel of serious injury but there were “hot spots” which had been a concern.
“It’s an unusual injury in that not many horses are actually diagnosed with it,” Kavanagh told Sky Sports Radio.
He said the scans were forwarded to Coolmore’s vet and reviewed by other experts at the Kentucky Keeneland sales last week.
“In another two weeks we will start doing light work with her and see where we go from there,” Kavanagh said.
“The Melbourne autumn comes up very, very quick, and the Sydney autumn is a little bit further behind, but if she is not 100 per cent or perfect we won’t do anything with her and wait for the spring.
“We won’t be taking any risks.”
Kavanagh says Atlantic Jewel is an extraordinary racehorse and has often repeated that he has never had a horse like her.
Her jockey Michael Rodd has described her as a Caulfield Cup or Cox Plate horse in the making.
AAP TURF
