Explosive trotter back from fractured knee

Terang harness racing trainer Paddy Lee isn’t sure we will ever see the best of explosive trotter Jilliby Babavska again, but he’s still happy to finally be preparing him for a return to the races.

It’s been a long stint on the sidelines for the son of Sundon, whose last competitive hit-out was all the way back in November of 2019.

That race brought about the undoing of Lee’s charge, who finished eighth and pulled up lame due to what was eventually revealed as a serious leg injury.

“It was pretty obvious. He had a bit of heat and swelling in his knee and we got it x-rayed,” Lee said.

“He had a fracture in the knee, in a spot where it wasn’t ideal to put a screw, so we had to let it naturally heal.

“I actually had him ready to race about four months ago, (but) he got crook and had to have six weeks off.”

Jilliby Babavska won a trial at Terang on Sunday and Lee said while there’s plenty of improvement to come, he was happy enough to race the horse this Saturday night at Tabcorp Park Melton.

The seven-year-old has drawn barrier eight for the Group 3 Hip Pocket Workwear and Safety Coulter Crown, where he meets a quality field of rivals including Andy Gath-trained pair Havehorsewilltravel and Mclovin, Anton Golino’s Always Ready and Team Brosnan’s last-start winner Maori Law. See fields here.

“He’s definitely not at the fitness where I’d like him to be, but coming back in that grade and with his injury, you can only do so much before you can go and have a race start,” Lee said.

“I think he’ll need four or five runs, and honestly we might never see him back at his best, but there’s always hope that maybe he could…”

Jilliby Babavska, who took out the Group 3 Lenin Trotters Free For All two starts ago in November 2019, has won 12 of 26 races for more than $90,000 in prizemoney.

His one and only try at Group 1 level resulted in a runner-up placing to War Spirit in the 2017 Breeders Crown Series 3YO Trotting Colts and Geldings Final.

This Saturday night’s metropolitan card is also highlighted by the Group 3 TAB Melton Pace Final and Del Re National Melton Mares Championship.