Magic Millions Sprint winner Temple Of Boom will miss the Group One The Galaxy at Randwick after failing to recover from a freak training accident.
Trainer Tony Gollan has been working overtime to get Temple Of Boom fit for the 1100-metre sprint on April 16 after he struck himself jumping a puddle in trackwork last month.
Temple Of Boom suffered a nasty cut to a front leg which required stitching.
“He could have gone on to the Galaxy if I pushed him but it’s only seven weeks away and it would be cutting it too fine to get him ready in time,” Gollan said.
“It wasn’t worth the risk as I couldn’t afford anything to go wrong with him and I’d have to keep bandaging his leg.
“The leg still has a gaping hole the size of a 50 cent piece.”
Gollan has sent Temple Of Boom to the paddock for a short break before the four-year-old returns to tackle second-tier sprints during the Brisbane winter carnival.
“He’s gone out for a few weeks and he’ll come back and get ready for the Lightning Handicap and Healy Stakes and possibly the Ascot Handicap,” he said.
“They’re three nice races for him spaced two weeks apart.”
The three sprint races, all at Eagle Farm, begin with the Listed Lightning Handicap (1000m) on June 11 followed by the Group Three Healy Stakes (1200m) on June 25 and the Listed Ascot Handicap (1200m) on July 9.
Gollan had hoped to send Temple Of Boom to Sydney for the Group Three Sebring Stakes (1200m) on Golden Slipper day at Rosehill on April 2 before The Galaxy.
He’s still keen to head back to Melbourne with Temple Of Boom in the spring following his success in the Listed Swisse Stakes (1100m) at Flemington in November.
Meanwhile, Temple Of Boom’s half-brother, Spirit Of Boom, is back in light work preparing for the Brisbane winter carnival.
Gollan declared Spirit Of Boom the best horse he’s trained following his brilliant 1200-metre victory at Eagle Farm on Australia Day.
He is hopeful Spirit Of Boom can emulate his older brother by winning the Mick Dittman Plate (1000m) at Eagle Farm on April 23.
“Spirit Of Boom is back doing light work after having a couple of weeks out in the paddock following his last win,” Gollan said.
“He’ll start off in the Mick Dittman Plate then go on to the Gold Coast Guineas.
“He’ll be nominated for the Stradbroke but if he doesn’t qualify he’ll run in the Queensland Guineas.”
The Group One Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) and Group Two Queensland Guineas (1600m) will both be run at Eagle Farm on June 11.
AAP TURF
