Lankan Rupee was unlucky to miss most of the recent Spring Carnival through injury, and trainer Mick Price has revealed the lengthy rehabilitation process will likely rule his star sprinter out of a 2016 Autumn Carnival return.
Lankan Rupee is set to miss the 2016 Autumn Carnival through injury. Photo: Sarah Ebbett
Lankan Rupee returned to racing as resounding favourite in the Group 2 Schillaci Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield on October 10th, and while finding the fore of the field in the final straight, faded late to finish third; later found to have suffered ligament damage.
Price said the talented son of Redoute’s Choice has continued to respond favourably to the recovery process but concedes the 2016 Autumn Carnival is probably too soon for the five-time Group 1 champion to return.
“I don’t think he’ll make it for the autumn,” Price said told Racing.com.
“I think the rehab program is too long for him and it has to be properly done obviously.
“I think he’ll have a longer spell and he’ll be back for the spring.
“He’s just about to go into the paddock and do some water walk so I think the autumn with be too soon for him.
“I think if horses don’t feel pain they’ll run really well, so if you get them physically right the mental part of it’s fine. I don’t run my horses if I think they’re feeling pain.
“If he’s physically right he’ll come back, but I think that’s the key.”
Posting a career total of eleven wins and seven minors through only 24 competitive starts so far, Lankan Rupee was unable to post much of a consistent run of form until his gelding at the conclusion of the 2013 autumn, and has since been one of the world’s best short course specialists.
Undoubtedly posting career-best form to date through the 2014 Autumn Carnival, Lankan Rupee won the Group 2 Rubiton Stakes (1100m) with complete ease first-up before taking out each of the Group 1 Oakleigh Plate (1100m), Group 1 Newmarket Handicap (1200m) and Group 1 TJ Smith Stakes (1200m) in succession.
Returning in the 2014 spring for an upset loss to Angelic Light in the Group 2 McEwen Stakes (1000m), the gelding out of Estelle Collection continued to second in the Group 1 Moir Stakes (1200m) before returning to winning form in the Group 1 Manikato Stakes (1200m); heading to the paddock following his run for third in the Group 1 Darley Classic (1200m).
Returning this year for another impressive triumph in the Group 1 Lightning Stakes (1000m), Lankan Rupee was unable to make anything of an impact in either of the Newmarket Handicap or TJ Smith Stakes and was turned out.
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