Trainer Gerald Ryan is confident that Red Excitement has come through a rehabilitation program for a an injured tendon in excellent condition and has selected the Listed $100,000 Razor Sharp Handicap (1200m) at Randwick on December 13 as he come back run.
Red Excitement has recovered from a tendon injury and is due to resume in the Razor Sharp Handicap at Randwick. Photo by Steve Hart.
Red Excitement was racing at the top of his form at the beginning of the year with a hat trick of wins in January and February before succumbing to the tendon injury.
The Excites five year old scored over 1400m at both Randwick and Rosehill before winning over 1600m in the $85,000 Eatability Handicap at Randwick on February 14.
The promising sprinter-miler was never sent out to the paddock but instead the recovery program for the bowed tendon was managed in the stable with light exercise and sessions on the water walker.
“He was never turned out, we kept him working the whole time,” Ryan told Racing Network.
“A lot of the credit must go to Tim Boland and the team at Limitless Lodge at Wyong, they had him on the water walker, kept him walking, kept him active.
“He came in to the stable and had a canter and then went out again back to the water walker.
“It has been a long process but he seems to be really thriving.”
Ryan has given Red Excitement two recent barrier trials in preparation for his return to the racetrack and was that happy with his progress that he had considered starting him first up in the Group 2 $175,000 Villiers Stakes (1600m) at Randwick on the same day as the Razor Sharp Handicap.
“I was thinking of resuming first-up in the Villiers Stakes, that is how well I think the horse is going,” Ryan said.
“But we will look at the Razor Sharp and then probably go to Melbourne for the Standish up the straight and then look for a 1400m race.
“We will keep him to big tracks and good tracks, just to look after him.”
If Red Excitement comes through his first up assignment in good order, Ryan will consider taking the gelding to Melbourne for the Group 3 $150,000 Standish Handicap (1200m) at Flemington on New Year’s Day.
Red Excitement has won eight races from twenty-five starts and has earned $474,345 in prizemoney and bonuses for his connections.
