Waitandwatch is expected to race for the first time since January
Angela Davies hopes the waiting game is over for an injury-prone gelding that has provided the Gosford trainer with her fair share of headaches.
The aptly named Waitandwatch is expected to race for the first time since January in the ATC Membership Open Now Sprint (1200m) at Rosehill on Saturday, but Davies admits there were no guarantees.
After all, the lightly raced six-year-old was set to seek his fifth successive win at Rosehill over 1100m on November 4.
Shin soreness and tendon issues that have limited Waitandwatch to just seven starts since he started racing as a four-year-old were no longer an issue.
Then he went to the farrier.
“You wouldn’t believe it, he fell over and split his knee open when he was getting plated,” Davies said.
“It was when the flies were really starting up again. He swung his head down to bite a fly off his leg and he overbalanced and knuckled.”
Davies could see the funny side now though it was no laughing matter at the time.
“You should have seen me, I was not a happy camper. I had to walk away, walk down the backyard, I couldn’t handle it at all,” she said.
Davies also had to explain to owners Premier Park Thoroughbreds and Ronstel Thoroughbreds why Waitandwatch would not be racing for the first time since January.
“When they’ve got ability you just keep trying to keep the owners interested and that’s certainly been challenging,” she said.
Waitandwatch won his metropolitan debut at Randwick on Boxing Day and Davies said the plan was to prove he was Saturday-grade quality.
He was a $15 chance with the TAB in a market led by the Peter and Paul Snowden-trained Bravesong ($3.60).
“Just cross your fingers, I’m crossing everything that he actually can get there,” Davies said.
“I’ll be wrapping him in bubble wrap so if he falls over he can bounce.”
