Clarry Conners’ smart two year old Assail’s Autumn Carnival campaign in under a cloud after the filly was scratched from the $2m Jeep Magic Millions 2yo Classic (1200m) at the Gold Coast on Saturday morning.
Assail's autumn campaign is in doubt after their scratching from the Magic Millions Classic. Photo by: Steve Hart.
The raging Magic Millions 2yo Classic favourite had to be withdrawn after Conners reported that Assail was lame due to a foot infection and further scans and tests will determine if a Golden Slipper campaign is feasible.
Assail sprang into Magic Millions calculation with a devastating win in the $200,000 Wyong Magic Millions 2yo Classic (1100m) at Wyong on December 20 with top jockey Craig Williams labelling the Charge Forward filly a genuine Golden Slipper chance after riding her in a sizzling gallop in between races at Warwick Farm last week.
“She is a high quality filly,” Williams said.
“The way she worked you would be happy if you were going towards the Slipper. The way that she felt and her attitude, she is a very good filly.
“I was rapt with the way she went. She is better than a Magic Millions horse, she is a high quality filly.
“I’d be happy in a Blue Diamond or a Golden Slipper the way that she felt. She is good.”
Conners had been very confident all week leading up to Saturday’s race but then had to break the devastating news to connections on Saturday morning.
“She had an infection in her foot, but there’s been no trouble at all, until I got her out of the stable this morning and she was lame,” Conners said.
“I don’t know where it’s come from.”
Originally Conners thought the problem was a foot abscess, but with a further examination, the top Sydney trainer reported that the filly had an infection on the inside of her heel and would require more scans and x-rays and a thorough vet check before any future plans can be mapped out.
Assail is currently $7 third favourite in this year’s Group 1 $3.5m Tooheys New Golden Slipper (1200m) at Rosehill on April 6 with Shaun Dwyer’s undefeated filly Villa Verde the early pick at $4.
The Peter Snowden trained Safeguard splits the filly’s at $6 after winning over 1000m at Flemington on December 22.
