Sydney hopes shot down by injury

The Doncaster dream with Addictive Habit is over with injury side-lining the Group One winner until next season.

“He’s got a slight tendon tear, he did it playing in his paddock,” trainer Lee Somervell said.

“Our huge plans have been shot down and he’s going to need at least six months off.”

Addictive Habit was to have run in the open handicap at Te Rapa on Saturday as a lead-in to the $A3 million Gr.1 Doncaster Handicap at Randwick on April 2.

“It was obviously going to be a huge challenge in Sydney and I will be irritated if it turns out to be a wet track – that was what we were going to be hoping for,” Somervell said.

“It’s been a big blow, but we’ve still got a horse who hasn’t been over-raced and the prognosis is good.

“In a strange coincidence, Derek Nolan was going to ride Addictive Habit at Te Rapa and he came off a young horse and broke his foot so he couldn’t have ridden him.”

Addictive Habit won the Gr.1 Livamol Classic in the spring before he successfully defended his Gr.2 Coupland’s Bakeries title to boost his stake earnings beyond $750,000.

In his absence, Somervell will be looking to Celebrity Miss to lead the stable’s autumn charge.

“She’s coming up really well heading into the Breeders’ Stakes at Te Aroha and she’ll trial at Matamata on Tuesday,” he said.

Celebrity Miss finished third behind her stablemate in the Livamol Classic and won the Listed Jakkalberry Classic at her next appearance.

She hasn’t raced since she was unplaced in the Gr.3 City of Auckland Cup on New Year’s Day.