Shane Fliedner has revealed that he will retire Tollesprit if the gelding cannot recapture its best form in the coming fortnight.
Tollesprit showed enormous potential as a juvenile, running second to world beater Starspangledbanner in the McNeil Stakes in 2009. However since then his career has been derailed by back to back throat operations.
The four year old gelding resumed from his second throat operation down the straight at Flemington on June 25. That day he reeled off an impressive final sectional to finish third behind Elusive Touch and Gran Sasso and it looked like half-brother to Black Caviar was set for a promising campaign.
However after his last start flop in the All Victorian Sprint at Flemington, Fliedner has been unable to do much except scratch his head.
Fliedner confirmed that his vet had thoroughly gone over Tollesprit and found no reason for him to be underperforming.
“He has to turn it around in his next two starts or he will be retired,” Fliedner said.
“If he didn’t have the ability he would be long gone, but he is becoming embarrassing. He is a very frustrating horse to train.
“He has always raced well down the straight but every prep I seem to have trouble with him.”
Fliedner is hoping that adding a tongue tie to Tollesprit’s already burgeoning list of gear will help the horse find its best form.
“He has won with a tongue tie on. Last start he went around to the barrier with his tongue in the back of his throat somewhere and he raced a lot more forward than normal,” Fliedner said.
“He was fine after the race but we will ride quiet like we have in the past. I don’t want to change his racing pattern. He will be back last or second last and we will leave him alone in the first half of the race.”
Fliedner said he was persevering with the horse because he believed he could be affective over 1400m. He said that if Tollesprit came through this race okay, he would consider running in the Group Three Aurie Star Handicap (1200m) at Flemington.
Warm Love is currently favourite for the TCL Electronics Handicap at Flemington at $3.10, although her trainer David Brideoake has indicated that he may scratch the horse from the event in favour of an Adelaide race a week later.
Tollesprit, who will be ridden by Chris Symons, is currently an $8.00 chance in the race.
