Spring carnival plans for Oakleigh Plate winner Woorim are on hold following an injury scare.
Trainer Robert Heathcote noticed heat and filling in Woorim’s off foreleg before trackwork on Thursday morning.
Woorim winning the Sportingbet Oakleigh Plate at Caulfield - photo by Race Horse Photos Australia
“He worked as normal on Tuesday without any incident but when we led him out of his box on Thursday morning I noticed there was a little bump on his tendon,” Heathcote said.
“My initial thoughts were doom and gloom but the first scan that we took came back pretty much 100 per cent clear.
“There are no lesions, no tears and no fibre disruptions so in that respect the signs are pretty positive.”
Heathcote will await the results of a follow-up scan of Woorim’s leg on Sunday before he decides whether the gelding races in the spring.
“If there is any sign of a problem it could mean the end of the spring for him but we’ll just wait and see,” he said.
Woorim was scheduled to leave Brisbane on September 5 to run in the McEwen Stakes (1000m) at Moonee Valley on September 15.
In more positive news from the Heathcote stable, Solzhenitsyn will return to racing in the Group Three Bobbie Lewis Quality (1200m) at Flemington on September 8 as a lead-up to the Group One Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on September 30.
Heathcote said stable spearhead Buffering was on track to resume in the Group Two Schillaci Stakes (1000m) at Caulfield on October 13.
Consistent sprinter Excellantes will join his higher-profile stablemates in a Melbourne campaign which begins with the Group Two Gilgai Stakes (1200m) at Flemington on October 6.
