Injury-plagued star on the comeback trail

Injury-plagued harness racing star Code Bailey (Christian Cullen) takes his next step on an unlikely comeback trail at Melton on Saturday night (Apr. 14).

Three years ago, the eight-year-old was one of the most exciting newcomers to the Grand Circuit, finishing fourth in a Hunter Cup and sixth in a Miracle Mile.

But a string of injury setbacks have restricted him to just six starts since and left most of his connections conceding a career which promised so much was probably over.

“I’ll admit, I’d pretty much given-up. Most of us had, except Paddy (Lee’s brother). He was happy to preserve and it’s to his credit we’ve got the horse back racing and winning.

“Paddy was the one who wanted to keep trying and he’s had a lot of help from Lochie Cook and the other workers at home. I can’t even start to tell you’re the endless hours and hard work that’s gone into getting him back.

“Even when they told me he was getting close, I was wary. With everything he’s been through, you’ve got to say he’s a day-to-day proposition, but, touch wood, we’re really happy with him at the moment.”

Code Bailey’s woes go back to that Miracle Mile three years ago.

“He was slightly disappointing that night. We were going to run him in the 4&5YO Championship back home (Melton) after it, but found he had a small ligament problem.

“It wasn’t anything major and we got him back to run first-up in the Victoria Cup in late 2020, but did a little tear in a suspensory ligament and was straight out again.”

Former harness trainer and renowned horse rehabilitation guru Lee Evison got Code Bailey back on track for another tilt at racing, but before he got back to the track, he went amiss again.

“That was the third setback and that’s when most of us thought he was done … but not Paddy,” Lee said.

“He spoke with Lee (Evision) and Luke McCarthy, who’s had great success getting horses, including one of ours Jilliby Kung Fu, back from injuries like that. Paddy wanted to persevere when most others wouldn’t have.

“We had a new pool put in and that’s been crucial. This horse simply wouldn’t have made it back without the pool.

“We had success with Jilliby Sylvester, who was our test case with the pool. He won the Inter Dominion consolation late last year and Hamilton Cup and his legs were really bad.

“Now Code Bailey’s made it back, too.”

Cody Bailey returned from 21 months on the sidelines with a solid fourth in the 1200m Stampede at Melton on March 18 and then he showed a glimpse of those glory days in 2020 with an impressive Melton win on April 1.

“It was a huge thrill, especially for Paddy and it was great Lochie (Cook) got to drive him after all the work he’d put in, too,” Lee said.

Lee is back aboard Code Bailey in Saturday night’s Tiger Tara Free-For-All (1720m) at Melton.

“It looks a nice race for him, even from the back row. He should only be better again for that win last start,” Lee said.

A possible Queensland winter campaign is on the cards if Code Bailey stays sound and keeps up his form.

“Darcy Gardiner (Brisbane Lions AFL player) is one of his part-owners and we know how much he’d love the horse to run up there,” Lee said.

For complete race entries, click here.

by Adam Hamilton, for Harness Racing Australia