Top trotter out again with new injury

Plymouth Chubb (Majestic Son) is set for another significant stint on the harness racing sidelines after a bone scan revealed an issue with the leg he badly injured early last year.

The Peter Manning-trained squaregaiter was scratched from last weekend’s Australian Trotting Grand Prix after a knock during trackwork, but was expected to be right for this Saturday night’s Hammerhead Trotters Mile at Menangle.

However, the multiple Group 1 winner was again withdrawn and his regular driver Kerryn Manning revealed a problem relating to his pastern surgery in 2022 had been discovered.

“He got the all clear last week to start work and he seemed okay for four days, but pulled up sore again on Monday,” Manning said.

“We went to the vet again and they still couldn’t work out why, so he had a bone scan and it showed the original injury where they screwed it had come apart ever so slightly but was causing pain.

“He needs four months off and they think he should be fine.”

The latest injury concern is a major blow for connections of the four-year-old, who stunned his fast class rivals with a big win in the Group 2 The Knight Pistol at his latest start on February 11.

Plymouth Chubb suffered a fracture to a leg during trackwork shortly after his win in the 2021 Vicbred Super Series final as a two-year-old, and didn’t race again until August last year.

His career record stands at 18 wins from 29 starts for $340,770 in prizemoney.

Meanwhile, Majestic Man is set to return home to New Zealand on Wednesday after a disappointing end to his latest Australian campaign.

The Phil Williamson-trained squaregaiter bled during last weekend’s Grand Prix when he was beaten more than 50m into eighth by Just Believe.

His most recent trip to our shores returned a win in the V L Dullard Trotters Cup on January 28 and placings in a Great Southern Star heat, The Knight Pistol and Waste Sense Trotters Handicap.

by Tim O’Connor, for Harness Racing Victoria