Lord Van Percy has been ruled out of the 2014 Zipping Classic and will be sent to the spelling paddock after being found with a tendon strain.
Lord Van Percy will miss the 2014 Zipping Classic after being found with a tendon strain. Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia
Lord Van Percy had been included in the nominations for both the Group 2 Zipping Classic (1600m) and the Listed Sandown Cup (3200m) and was set to return to the races after recovering from the setback that saw him miss the Group 3 Lexus Stakes (2500m) at Flemington on Victoria Derby Day, but co-owner Terry Henderson told TVN this morning that scans had shown the imported stayer had a tendon issue that will force him to the spelling paddock prematurely.
“Firstly we had to contend with a spider bite, but then we discovered he had some filling in a tendon sheath,” Henderson said.
“We had that tendon scanned yesterday and while it’s not a classic tendon problem, he has a strain to the tendon and he will go straight for a spell now.”
Lord Van Percy was purchased by OTI Racing after he took out the Triconnex Handicap (2816m) at Newmarket on May 17 and he failed to fire in his first start for his new owners before returning to winning form in the Summer Handicap (2816m) at Goodwood on July 29.
The Sir Percy gelding stamped himself as a possible Melbourne Cup contender when he finished second behind Mutual Regard in the Ebor Handicap (2816m) at York on August 23, but he was still well down the order of entry for both the Caulfield Cup and Melbourne Cup when he made the trip to Australia.
Lord Van Percy made his Australian racing debut with a fast-finishing fifth in the Group 2 Herbert Power Stakes (2400m) at Caulfield and missed out on a start in the Caulfield before he had his chances of earning a place in the Melbourne Cup field ended when he was ruled out of the ballot-exempt Lexus Stakes.
The Northern Hemisphere four-year-old was previously trained by Andrew Balding, but he will join the stable of Darren Weir after he returns from the spelling paddock and Henderson believes that the in-form Weir will be the perfect trainer for the progressive galloper.
“I’m glad he’s going to ‘Weiry’ as he can be trained on the straight track there at Ballarat,” Henderson said.”
OTI could still have a representative in the Zipping Classic with both Count Of Limonade and Au Revoir included in the nominations for the Group 2 event that will be held at Sandown this weekend.
