Paddyproudfoot sidelined with injury

Talented pacer Paddyproudfoot has been sidelined with a leg injury.

The Washington VC five year old won fresh up this season in the Riverton Cup before heading to Addington and finishing with a creditable four on Show Day. However he hasn’t been spotted since.

Co-trainer Kirstin Barclay said after the leg injury was discovered they took him to  Dunedin vet Peter Gillespie and the results of the scans taken should be completely known in two weeks.

“He had a hair line fracture last season so when his leg blew up this time that was my initial fears that he’d done it again. But it’s looking like he’s just banged it badly.  Peter was positive that was what it was,” she said.

Barclay said Paddyproudfoot lets you know when something isn’t right.

“He’s a real drama queen. One day here he pulled a shoe in the stalls and he just stood there with his foot out. Every time someone walked past he put his foot out. It doesn’t take much for Paddy to think he’s broken.”

He’s had only twelve lifetime starts over three seasons of racing, winning five times and running second four times for owners Peter and Julie Duffy and Brian and Rosemary Duggan.

Meanwhile star pacer U May Cullect is on the active list after stem cell treatment.

“He’s got a long programme ahead of him ….  He’s up to twenty minutes of walking now and it goes up by five minutes a week, then he gets into a bit of trotting.  Basically ten days after the treatment I can’t believe how good the leg looked. He’s boxed all the time. It’s a nine month programme and at the end he’s back jogging for forty five minutes. He’s such an athletic horse that after nine months of work and a couple of canters he’ll be underway,” Barclay said.

The five year old was side-lined prior to this year’s Hannon Memorial which was going to be his first real test against the open grade horses.

Barclay says U May Cullect is not a horse to remain idle and is enjoying some activity, albeit with light duties.

“He’s a horse that loves being in work so he’s happy with what he’s doing now.

Bruce Stewart