Don’t expect to see Aussie superstar Ride High back at the races any time soon, if at all.
His owner-breeder Peter Gleeson admits he has “braced myself for the fact he won’t race again” after visiting Emma Stewart and Clayton Tonkin’s stables to check-out Ride High recently.
“I hope I’m wrong, but I fear the worst,” he said. “He’s now had problems with both front tendons 18 months apart. I’ve been involved with horses for a long time, I’ve told my family it’s likely he’s run his last race.”
Ride High suffered just his second defeat in 18 starts when fifth at his most recent start in the Group 2 Smoken Up Sprint at Melton on October 3, last year.
He was subsequently found to have injured a tendon.
“I went out and saw him a week or so back and he’s big, really big. Clayton and Emma’s water-walker has been out of action for the past month or so and he hasn’t done much, so he’s put on plenty of weight.
“I hope I’m wrong, but it’s a long way back from here. He’s months away from racing even if everything went right from here.
“It’s that last month or so, when they really have to put the pressure on him which worries me the most.
“He’s a big, heavy horse and 65 per cent of their weight goes through their front legs.”
Gleeson did a deal with Alan Galloway and Alabar Stud to buy half the horse for stud duties before his latest injury and all concerned are mindful of the looming breeding season.
“I’ve spoken to Alan who says we can juggle stud with still trying to get back to the races. I ran than by Clayton (Tonkin) a week or so back and he’s onboard. We all agree we can’t risk missing another breeding season with him,” Gleeson said.
The challenge with serving NZ mares is when and how Ride High can spend time at Australia’s Alabar Farm itself.
“For NZ breeders to access him, he’s got to be in quarantine at Alabar so that’s something else we’ve got to work through,” Gleeson said.
