A suspensory injury threatens to derail the spring campaign of one of the country’s most progressive stayers.
The Darren Weir-trained Signoff was expected to be a major player in this year’s Cups races but is currently undergoing rehabilitation at Ballarat.
Signoff finished fourth in the 2014 Melbourne Cup after earning his way into the race with his Lexus Stakes win three days earlier.
Weir was going to give Signoff a light autumn campaign before preparing him for this year’s Caulfield and Melbourne Cups but the horse injured a suspensory ligament in his return run at Flemington in April.
“He had that one run and pulled up a bit scratchy after it in the autumn,” Weir said.
“He’s doing a bit of jogging on the treadmill at the moment and we’re keeping an eye on him at Ballarat.”
While Signoff is undergoing rehabilitation at Ballarat, stablemate Tall Ship, one of the stars of the Victorian country circuit, is slowly having his work increased for a spring return.
A European import, Tall Ship finished eighth at his Australian debut in March and went on to record four straight victories on country tracks including the Warrnambool Cup in May.
Tall Ship will be entered for the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups but Weir thinks the Queen Elizabeth Stakes at the end of the Melbourne Cup carnival might be a more realistic target.
Tall Ship went for a spell following his Warrnambool Cup victory and has been in work at Weir’s Warrnambool base for around four weeks.
“He’s had a good prep so far,” Weir said.
“He spends most of his time at the beach which suits.
“We’re not aiming too high with him, something like the Queen Elizabeth.
“He’s in work at the right time if his form warrants aiming higher but we’re happy to be heading that way at this stage.”
