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    INJURY: Kerryn Manning’s star two-year-old trotting gelding wins the Group One Vicbred Super Series final at Melton four days before suffering a serious injury in trackwork. Picture: STUART McCORMICK RACEDAY PHOTOS

Setback for Manning horse

By Tony Logan

Just days after star juvenile Plymouth Chubb’s victory in the $100,000 Vicbred Super Series final for trotting colts and geldings, part owner Gary Benson received unwelcome news from trainer Peter Manning that the horse had suffered a serious leg injury during morning trackwork. 

Benson later confirmed that Plymouth Chubb had undergone surgery in Ballarat to repair a fractured hind pastern with four screws inserted into the bone.

X-rays during the next couple of weeks will determine when the horse could leave the clinic for a lengthy period of rest in a stable environment.



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Plymouth Chubb posted 14 consecutive victories during the season including four Group Ones – Victorian Home Grown Classic, Redwood Classic, Breeders Crown Final and Vicbred Super Series Final – with his first-season earnings in excess of $220,000.

Loats

Minyip breeder-owner Gary Loats enjoyed a victory at Terang on Wednesday last week when his four-year-old mare Sportsseal scored at the bolter’s odds of 25-1 in a restricted stakemoney event.

Sportsseal is the third foal produced by Loat’s unraced Christian Cullen NZ broodmare Tessanover and notched up her maiden success at her ninth start.

After six far-from-flattering efforts for trainer David Murphy late in 2020, Sportsseal headed to the paddock for a lengthy spell before returning to the racetrack nearly 12 months later.

With the benefit of two recent runs under the belt, combined with a copybook drive from Murphy and a drop in grade, Sportsseal scored by two metres in a rate of 2:00.5 for the 2180-metre journey.

Sunraysia

Haven owners Daryl and Fran Edwards enjoyed a second Sunraysia success when their three-year-old gelding Billy Jack proved too strong for older rivals in the Mildura Pace.

The son of Major In Art USA and Jilliby Jamila had won on debut at the same track about a month ago, with driver Aaron Dunn aboard for trainer Lachlan Prothero.

Luckless at his next two starts, ‘Billy’ bounced back to his best and made it two out of four for the Edwards, Petch and Hiscock families.

Square gaiters

The Ainsworth family of Moyriesk celebrated a double at Melton on Friday night with their square gaiters Beautiful Sunrise and Namoscar.

Beautiful Sunrise ran her rivals ragged over the 1720-metre sprint trip, scoring by 12 metres in a rate of 2:00.5 with driver Ashley Ainsworth after being placed at her two previous outings.

Stablemate Namoscar came from near last at the top of the home straight to blouse his rivals on the line, recording his ninth career victory at start number 58.

The seven-year-old gelding is usually somewhere around the mark in his races, averaging about $1000 per outing for owner Katrina Ainsworth.

The entire January 12, 2022 edition of The Weekly Advertiser is available online. READ IT HERE!