Bendigo trainer Shane Fliedner says a second throat operation appears to have rescued the career of Tollesprit ahead of Saturday’s All Victorian Sprint Final at Flemington.
Fliedner said a displaced palate had affected the Bel Esprit gelding’s breathing for up to 18 months.
The winner of four of 16 starts, Tollesprit lost form after finishing a three-length seventh to Wanted in the Newmarket Hcp (1200m) at Flemington in March last year.
After two disappointing runs last spring he had throat surgery for the first time but it failed to correct the problem and he was twice easily beaten at Flemington, including by 35 lengths in the Lightning Stakes.
Connections persisted with a second operation two months ago and last start Tollesprit qualified for Saturday’s Sprint Final with an encouraging fast-finishing first-up third to Elusive Touch and Gran Sasso at Flemington on June 25.
“It was a good run the other day and he looked a bit like he was back to his old self,” Fliedner said.
“He is not really a 1000-metre horse but got home pretty good, running 32.7 seconds for his last 600 metres.
“It’s certainly encouraging and, fingers crossed, we have got him back.”
Tollesprit’s last successes were when he won two races in a row at Flemington and Moonee Valley early in 2010.
Nine of his 16 starts have been in stakes races and as a three-year-old he ran multiple Group One winner and international star Starspangledbanner to less than a length when second in the Group Three McNeil Stakes at Caulfield.
Fliedner said Tollesprit had a strong finish but often gave away starts too big to bridge.
“I think he will still get back a bit on Saturday but it is a winnable race for him,” Fliedner said.
He said he wasn’t planning too far ahead with Tollesprit but is hopeful he can be a spring contender.
“You have got to take it one run at a time when they have had a wind operation but hopefully his breathing is right now as I want to get him out to a mile (1600m),” Fliedner said.
“I’m really hoping he can get back to the level he was at before, especially as he’s only four and hasn’t had that many starts.”
AAP TURF
