Issues for odds on 2016 Champagne Stakes favourite

Short-priced Champagne Stakes favourite Yankee Rose has thrown a scare into the camp, pulling up mildly lame from her final piece of track work ahead of her tilt at a second Group One win.

Trainer David Vandyke told stewards his stable veterinarian had detected mild pain in Yankee Rose’s near-fore heel after she galloped at Warwick Farm on Wednesday morning.

The filly was iced and had a poultice applied as a precaution.

Racing NSW senior veterinarian Craig Suann detected slight lameness on Wednesday afternoon, but no discomfort.

Earlier on Wednesday, Vandyke reported the filly had pulled her off fore shoe on Saturday morning and would race with synthetic hoof filler.

Despite the setback, Vandyke said her preparation was identical to when she won the ATC Sires’ Produce Stakes and was runner-up in the Golden Slipper and she had not missed any work.

Yankee Rose is a $1.40 chance to win the Champagne Stakes (1600m) at Randwick on Saturday, with the James Cummings-trained Prized Icon next at $7.

Cummings said a decision on whether Prized Icon would challenge Yankee Rose would be left until race morning.

If Cummings decides to run Prized Icon, the colt will be on a one-week back up after winning the Fernhill Stakes at Randwick last Saturday.

“It’s only Wednesday but he looks really well through the run,” Cummings said.

“He’s a really tough horse.”

Cummings said he decided to make Prized Icon a late entry into the race after seeing a field lacking depth.

“The nominations looked thin,” Cummings said.

“Second, fourth and fifth from the Sires’ – they’re not there. So the temptation was good enough for us to at least accept.”

The Champagne would be Prized Icon’s sixth start in his maiden preparation.

“He loves the track, he loves the work,” Cummings said.

“I would think he’d run really well if I decide to run him, but it’s going to boil down to whether or not we think that’s what we want to do with him at this point in his career.”

Cummings said Prized Icon would be spelled after the Champagne and be aimed at races in Sydney or Melbourne during the spring.

 

Article from JustHorseRacing.com.au

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