Sydney’s pin-up mare Hot Danish may have run her last race after undergoing an operation on a deep-seated leg abscess.
The seven-year-old showed signs of a problem late last week and trainer Les Bridge took her to the Randwick Equine Centre on Sunday when her condition worsened.
“She had a bit of filling in her near-side hind leg on Thursday and we put her on antibiotics but it didn’t get any better,” Bridge said.
“It was so bad on Sunday I took her to the vets myself and the scans showed deep inside which the antibiotics couldn’t reach.
“They operated on her and went in and drained it out so now the antibiotics can get to it.
“It’s remarkable how much better she is.
“They say that in about eight weeks she should be fine but it takes a long time for the antibiotics to get out of their systems so she won’t be racing in the winter.
“I’ll be surprised if she races again. She will be eight when she comes back.
“It’s such a shame because before this happened she was flying and I thought she was back to her best.”
A perennial favourite with Sydney racegoers, Hot Danish has raced 31 times for 16 wins including last year’s Group One All-Aged Stakes and Doomben 10,000.
She also has a host of Group One placings to her name and prizemoney of more than $2.3 million, a handsome return on her $32,000 purchase price at the 2005 Scone Yearling Sale.
Bridge said a final decision on her future would rest with her owners but if she did not race again, she would more than likely be sold as a broodmare.
AAP TURF
