Rick Worthington can't help but feel his Warwick Farm stable is cursed at the moment.
Photo by Racing and Sports
At the start of last year, star pairing Whitefriars and Sainthood were on the verge of career-defining campaigns which Worthington hoped would give him a genuine shot at Group One glory.
A little over 12 months on and the careers of both horses are clouded in uncertainty following serious health issues.
Whitefriars is still trying to recover from the respiratory issue he was struck down with after winning the Group Two Australia Stakes (1200m) in January last year.
He recently underwent an extensive throat operation and will be examined again in about two months where a decision will be made on his racing future.
Sainthood meanwhile is back in the spelling paddock after reinjuring a fetlock joint on his return to racing in last month's Southern Cross Stakes (1200m).
Worthington had spent the best part of nine months nursing the horse back to health after a similar problem suffered in last year's Brisbane winter carnival, and is now staring at a similar assignment to rescue the six-year-old's career.
“My run of whatever this black cloud that's been hanging over continues,” Worthington said.
“My two spearheads are both on the sidelines at the moment.
“We all know in racing you've got to take the good with the bad. It just appears at the moment I'm having a run of things where the ball's just not rolling the right way.
“You've got to go with it.”
Whitefriars had been on the verge of an early retirement before his throat operation which Worthington hoped would save his prized six-year-old's career.
“It was a complex sort of a thing because there were numerous issues there,” Worthington said.
“The surgeon has just rescoped him and he's very happy with the surgery.
“So far Whitefriars will now have another six to eight weeks of rest and then we'll rescope and possibly recommence work, depending on the result of the scoping.
“We're still a chance. As it is today he's quite optimistic but we'll just play that a day at a time.”
Sainthood, who was being aimed at a potential run in next week's Group Three Newcastle Newmarket Handicap (1400m), likely won't be seen again until the end of the year.
“Forget him for six months,” the Sydney trainer said.
“He's now back out, he's convalescing again and we'll have to start again in due course.
“Coming out of the gates [in the Southern Cross Stakes] he got pole axed and he went over on that joint again.
“It's a real shame, he was flying. Literally he was just absolutely flying.”
