A recent throat surgery could prove a career-extending move for veteran sprinter The Astrologist, who returns to the races in Saturday’s Listed Straight Six (1200m) at Flemington.
The rising nine-year-old, trained by Leon and Troy Corstens in partnership with Will Larkin, will make his 52nd race start this weekend after undergoing the procedure following a midfield finish during last year’s Melbourne Cup Carnival.
Troy Corstens is hopeful the operation will rejuvenate the gelding, who has long battled breathing issues but still amassed nearly $3 million in prizemoney.
“He would trot, and canter and he would make a noise, so we have given him throat surgery, and his breathing is the best it has ever been,” Corstens said.
“But with that he picks up viruses here and there.
“We’ve had a few problems with him with sickness, and that sort of stuff, so we’ve had to nurse him through it.
“However, he had won almost $3 million with a breathing issue all his life, but it was getting progressively worse.
“So, we thought we may as well try it as if we retired him, he would sit in a paddock for 20 years and we would never know.
“Nathan (Bennett) was good enough and the owners to give it a crack, so we’ll see how it goes.
“He’s an older horse now but he’s an absolute pleasure to have around the stable and he’s done a terrific job for us.”
The Astrologist’s last win came in December 2022 at Ascot over 1400m. In 2023, he took connections on a global adventure with placings at Meydan on Dubai World Cup night and a trip to Royal Ascot in the UK.
Corstens is unsure whether the 1200m trip will still suit, especially after his recent jump-out at Flemington on May 9.
“It was a very fast trial, and he’s just looking like he wants a bit of ground now,” Corstens said.
“It will be interesting to see if the 1200 metres will be a little bit too short for him.
“He’s never at his best first-up, he always races better as he gets into his preparation, but he’s very sound, he can breathe, and I’m really interested to see what he can do.”
The stable will also be represented by Marble Nine, who backs up in Saturday’s Flemington sprint after winning at Bendigo on April 12 and running fourth in the Listed Wangoom Handicap (1200m) at Warrnambool.
“He’s a funny horse,” Corstens said.
“He loves soft ground but when the rain came before the race, he didn’t like that, so hopefully it should be perfect for him on Saturday.”
Punters looking to back The Astrologist in the Straight Six or Marble Nine in Flemington sprints can find the best markets at Australia’s top betting sites.