Gingernuts injured
DARREN Weir weaved his magic to turn Tosen Stardom around within the space of a week as the Japanese import chalked up a second Group I for the carnival in a drama-charged Emirates Stakes – on and off the track – at Flemington on Saturday.
New Zealand star Gingernuts was sensationally scratched at the gates after taking a faulty stride when cantering to the 2000-metre start, prompting a delay of almost 10 minutes to the start of the A$2million finale to the Melbourne Cup carnival.
He was immediately transferred to Werribee Vet Clinic for treatment on his near fore sesamoid.
Happy Clapper’s trainer Pat Webster joked he barely saw his horse flash late for second after rendering first aid treatment to a patron on course which had fallen ill.
When he did look up he would have noticed Tosen Stardom, which was a lacklustre eighth in the Kennedy Mile last week, burst clear under Damian Lane to easily account for his $3.5 million earner Happy Clapper with Doncaster hero It’s Somewhat in third.
But the main talking point was Gingernuts’ late withdrawal, which threw betting markets into turmoil at jump time.
‘‘He was cantering down there nicely, calm and collected,’’ Gingernuts’ jockey Michael Dee said.
‘‘Something went amiss. I definitely felt it happen. Straight away I pulled him up and got off as quick as I could. It’s not very nice to happen to the horse and hopefully he will be OK. It’s just very disappointing today.’’
Last season’s New Zealand Derby winner was only an 11th hour spring carnival addition after Te Akau Racing were forced to abandon plans to tackle the GETTY IMAGES Caulfield Cup when Gingernuts missed a crucial lead-up run across the Tasman.
They then lost their preferred rider Hugh Bowman to suspension, replacing him with two-time Group I winner Dee who dismounted the horse swiftly after the freak accident.
Many members of the Te Akau Gingernuts Syndicate, who race the three-time Group I winner, had made the trip across the Tasman for the race.
Gingernuts is a three-time Group I winner.
The injury was a bitter party killer for team Te Akau following the Group I 2000 Guineas victory of Embellish at Riccarton a couple of hours earlier.
The pre-race drama did little to detract from Tosen Stardom, which was ridden patiently and mowed down the frontrunners to win by a widening one-and-a-half lengths from Happy Clapper.
‘‘It was amazing, wasn’t it? That was the real Tosen Stardom,’’ Weir said. ‘‘We’ve seen it at home – the blinkers have gone on at the right time and switched him on.
‘‘Stepping to 2000m ... I guess myself it was a head scratcher last Saturday. But in that race they seemed to jump out, get in their position and stayed there. I said to Jarrod [McLean], ‘I’m keen to back him up’. He said, ‘well there’s no reason why you wouldn’t.’ Nothing’s gone right before this spring, to be honest.’’
If his Toorak Handicap win wasn’t already confirmation, Tosen Stardom’s Melbourne Cupwinning owners from Australian Bloodstock have a ready-made stallion now.