The 2013 Spring Racing Carnival campaign of imported-stayer Beaten Upis in doubt after he was found to have suffered a tendon strain last night.
Beaten Up may miss the Caulfield Cup due to a tendon strain. Photo by: Daniel Costello
The Group 1 winner was set to contest the Group 2 Hill Stakes (2000m) at Royal Randwick on Saturday but he has been scratched from the race and he is now unlikely to recover in time to contest the Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2400m) – a race in which he was one of the leading fancies.
Trainer Chris Waller announced the disappointing news in a video on his website this morning but said he is holding out hope that Beaten Up will still be able to play a part in the 2013 Spring Racing Carnival.
“He has what I think is the start of a tendon strain,” Waller said.
“We had it scanned last night and there is no tendon damage but there is starting to be a bit of activity around the tendon.
“He will be swimming for a week and in ten days’ time we will re-scan it and access whether we are still on track for a spring preparation.
“I am clinging to the hope that we are (still on track) and I am clinging to the hope that we can also get the horse racing in the Mackinnon, if he missed too much work to get him ready for the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups.
“These are very early days and it is disappointing for me to talk about it and gut-wrenching for the owners.
“We have to take the good with the day and we certainly get our share of good news.”
Beaten Up has been extremely impressive since joining the Waller stable at the end of last year after competing at the highest level of racing in the United Kingdom.
The Beat Hollow gelding took a while to acclimatize to Australian racing conditions, struggling in the Group 2 Ajax Stakes (1500m) and Group 3 Doncaster Prelude (1600m), but found his best form with a second place finish in the Listed Rowley Mile (1600m) at Hawkesbury and a fast-finishing victory in the Group 1 Doomben Cup (2000m) during the 2013 Brisbane Winter Racing Carnival.
The five-year-old looked on track for a big spring campaign, producing strong efforts in the Group 2 Warwick Stakes (1400m) and the Group 2 Chelmsford Stakes (1600m).
