Surgery for top class pacer

Another injury has sidelined star pacer General Dodge, but trainer Mick Chircop is keen to try and race on with his brilliant nine-year-old.

Chircop discovered soreness in one of the horse’s hind legs after his Cranbourne Cup seventh placing late last month and vet checks have revealed a problem with a tendon sheath.

General Dodge had a similar issue in a front leg earlier in his career and was able to race on with the aid of injections, however this latest problem will require surgery.

It’s another disappointing blow for connections, who had finally started to see the best of the Courage Under Fire gelding after a career littered with illness and injury.

His latest campaign included a second placing in the Group 1 VHRC Caduceus Classic and wins in the Geelong and Yarra Valley cups. Those results took his career record to 16 victories from 26 starts for more than $190,000 in prizemoney.

General Dodge is set to undergo surgery on Tuesday before a long road to recovery.

“He’s got to have about three months off, so three to four weeks in a box,” said Chircop, who likened the horse’s issue to carpal tunnel syndrome in a person.

“Then out into a little yard and then away we go again.

“He will probably go back into a water walker facility when he first comes back.”

Chircop said it was gut-wrenching to have his star sidelined yet again, particularly when he was performing well and with big races like the Bendigo Cup, Ballarat Cup and Hunter Cup on his radar.

By Tim O’Connor for HRV