Manolo Blahniq
Trish Dunell
Beaten Karaka Million favourite Manolo Blahniq has gone to the paddock.
The Craig Thornton-prepared colt had won the Gr.3 Eclipse Stakes at his previous start, but he failed to show the same enthusiasm on Sunday evening and his connections have subsequently found out why.
"I spoke to Craig on Monday morning and the horse is shin sore in both shins," said Victorian trainer Tony Noonan, who bought the son of Jimmy Choux at Karaka a year ago for $115,000.
"It was disappointing, but it was an explanation for his poor performance and why he failed to stretch out. These things happen."
Noonan will take over the future training of Manolo Blahniq, but just when he crosses the Tasman has yet to be decided.
"He'll stay here for the time being – you'd be lucky to find a blade of grass anywhere in Australia at the moment," Noonan said.
"There are obvious benefits in him being here. We'll give him a nice spell and he will improve and we'll see were we go after that."
Sunday's failure apart, Manolo Blahniq has made an exciting start to his career with three unbeaten trial runs preceding a debut second in the Listed Murdoch Newell Stakes at Avondale where he didn't help his cause by racing greenly.
He then beat Showmeyamoneyhoney, who ran second to Xiong Feng in the Karaka Million, in the Eclipse Stakes. – NZ Racing Desk.
The Craig Thornton-prepared colt had won the Gr.3 Eclipse Stakes at his previous start, but he failed to show the same enthusiasm on Sunday evening and his connections have subsequently found out why.
"I spoke to Craig on Monday morning and the horse is shin sore in both shins," said Victorian trainer Tony Noonan, who bought the son of Jimmy Choux at Karaka a year ago for $115,000.
"It was disappointing, but it was an explanation for his poor performance and why he failed to stretch out. These things happen."
Noonan will take over the future training of Manolo Blahniq, but just when he crosses the Tasman has yet to be decided.
"He'll stay here for the time being – you'd be lucky to find a blade of grass anywhere in Australia at the moment," Noonan said.
"There are obvious benefits in him being here. We'll give him a nice spell and he will improve and we'll see were we go after that."
Sunday's failure apart, Manolo Blahniq has made an exciting start to his career with three unbeaten trial runs preceding a debut second in the Listed Murdoch Newell Stakes at Avondale where he didn't help his cause by racing greenly.
He then beat Showmeyamoneyhoney, who ran second to Xiong Feng in the Karaka Million, in the Eclipse Stakes. – NZ Racing Desk.