Trainers Shaune Ritchie and Colm Murray were left scratching their heads after their high-class mare Jennifer Eccles (NZ) (Rip Van Winkle) finished a disappointing 13th in Saturday’s Gr. 1 Windsor Park Plate (1600m), 10 lengths in arrears of winner Melody Belle.
Subsequent veterinary tests have failed to reveal any issues but the Cambridge conditioners are taking a cautious approach with last season’s Gr.1 New Zealand Oaks (2400m) winner.
“We took a blood off her this morning but I wouldn’t anticipate there’ll be anything out of order there, her colour is still good,” Ritchie said.
“She’s been flexed up and trotted up and we have done all the usual things and at this point we can’t find anything.
“She raced flat. It’s remarkable, she’s the only horse I’ve seen in my life when they’re running a 1:33 mile like bats out of hell and she’s fourth and pulling.
“It is what it is, she’ll go out for two weeks and then we’ll take a look at her at every two week point and make a decision from there as to where we go and what we do.”
