Hawkesbury trainer Jason Attard is hoping for a healthier outcome at Scone after illness and injury forced him to scratch key runners from meetings on his home track and Rosehill recently.
Reiby Rampart was set to run in the Group Three Godolphin Crown (1300m) on the Hawkesbury Gold Cup card on May 29, but the four-year-old mare had to be withdrawn after staff noticed eating irregularities.
Stablemate Sons Of John was found to have heat in a leg before his scheduled start in Saturday’s Listed Lord Mayor’s Cup (2000m) in Sydney.
Attard said Sons Of John, who won the Hawkesbury Gold Cup in 2015, would now be spelled to recover, shelving plans to send him to the Queensland winter carnival.
Fortunately Reiby Rampart’s appetite is now back to normal, a positive sign before the Saturday’s fields at Scone are finalised on Wednesday.
Reiby Rampart, who last raced when ninth of 15 in the Provincial Championships final at Randwick on April 8, has been nominated for the Group Three Dark Jewel Classic (1400m) for fillies and mares and the Listed Luskin Star Stakes (1300m).
After viewing the nominations for both races Attard said his preference was the Luskin Star Stakes.
“She should race well. She was off her food for a couple of days but every thing’s absolutely fine now,” Attard said.
Reiby Rampart, who has won a Class Two race at Hawkesbury and a benchmark race at Newcastle since this preparation began in January, has a gallop on Tuesday before taking the float north for the second day of the Scone carnival.
Attard said he was disappointed Sons of John would not be able to build on his last-start second in the Group Three Japan Racing Association Plate (2000m) at Randwick on April 15.
“It’s very heartbreaking sometimes, but the horse’s welfare is the priority. You can only do your best.”
Attard has Reiby The Red and Kellyville Flyer entered for Friday’s Scone Cup (1600m).
