Shiraz Attack is back in the Magic Millions Guineas picture after making a speedy recovery from shocking leg injuries.
Trainer Gillian Heinrich was resigned to sending Shiraz Attack for a lengthy spell after the filly was galloped on when she finished an unlucky third at Eagle Farm on November 23.
“It was a bit scary there for a while because she had six big cuts all the way down the back of her legs and there was blood everywhere,” Heinrich said.
“That was bad enough but the good news is there were no cuts to her tendons.”
Shiraz Attack spent two weeks recuperating before returning to Heinrich’s Gold Coast stable last Monday.
“I was going to give her a break and go to the ATC Oaks but I wasn’t going to have quite enough time to get her ready for that race,” she said.
“Then I thought about the Queensland Oaks but if I left her in the paddock it would have been a three months spell and it’s too long to get them back again afer that length of time.”
Heinrich’s fallback option is to aim Shiraz Attack at the Group Three Vo Rogue Plate (1350m) at Doomben on December 28 before the Magic Millions Guineas (1400m) on January 9.
“If there’s plenty of speed on in those races that will suit her then she can go straight to the paddock and then get ready for the Queensland Oaks,” she said.
“Hopefully I can keep her fresh enough because we know we’ve got a filly that’s looking for ground but she’s very smart and maybe she can overcome it.”
Although Shiraz Attack hasn’t raced beyond 1500m, Heinrich is adamant the filly will be better suited to middle distance races rather than sprinting events.
While the reports on Shiraz Attack are positive, the news isn’t as good for stablemate Audacious Spirit who faces a lengthy period on the sidelines.
Audacious Spirit ran the worst race of his career when he finished last, beaten 17 lengths, behind Lucky Hussler in the George Moore Stakes at Doomben on December 7.
“We had him X-rayed and it showed all the ligaments in his fetlock were ricked so he’ll need three months in the paddock,” Heinrich said.
“I knew something was wrong straight away because his run was too bad to be true.”
