Guy’s rehab talents put to good use ahead of Easter Handicap

Danica Guy’s equine rehabilitation talents will be put to their next test when she saddles up stable star Lupo Solitario (NZ) (Satono Aladdin) in Saturday’s Gr.3 Manco Easter Handicap (1600m).

The Matamata horsewoman trains a small team as well as engaging with fellow licence-holders to aid the return to form of proven gallopers.

A notable success story is star racemare Legarto (NZ) (Proisir), who spent a long period of rehabilitation with Guy recovering from a tendon injury and retired last month on a high with wins in the Gr.1 Herbie Dyke Stakes (2000m) and Gr. 1 Bonecrusher New Zealand Stakes (2000m).

More recently she has applied the same principles to Lupo Solitario, who began his career with Guy before his sale to Hong Kong, winning three of his first four starts headed by the Gr.3 Bonecrusher Stakes (1400m) and finishing second in the other, the Gr.2 Sarten Memorial (1400m).

After failing to show form in seven Hong Kong starts, which included a race fall, he returned to Guy last year and after a long period of therapy he was back in the winner’s stall at Pukekohe three weeks ago, confirming Easter Handicap plans.

Off a rating of 76, the Satono Aladdin gelding made the field for the Ellerslie feature with lightweight jockey Wiremu Pinn booked to ride him on the 53-kilogram minimum.

“His Hong Kong owner got in touch with me offering to gift him back and he also paid his return fare, which was very generous of him, and I now race him with my parents,” Guy said on Wednesday.

“When he arrived back from Hong Kong he was out of sorts and the biggest challenge was his feet, so it was a matter of getting them right first thanks to my farrier Beau Telfar, who’s a magician with the work he does.

“All I wanted to do was get him out in the paddock, but I couldn’t because of the wet weather, so he had to live in a box for the first two months.

“Luckily he’s so laid-back with a fantastic temperament, so he makes it easy on himself and we gradually got him right.”

A trial win in early January was a big step forward and last month’s Pukekohe win came at his third start back. Even so, the recent path has not been aided by continuing wet weather.

“His feet still have to be managed, which means he can’t work on wet sand tracks or go out in the paddock, and he’s pretty much spent the last two weeks inside.

“His work has been mostly on the treadmill or in the pool, but I did manage to get a good gallop on the course proper into him before it rained on Saturday and he needed just maintenance work this (Wednesday) morning.

“It makes my job easier that he doesn’t need a lot of work and he’s got such a fabulous nature.

“I would rather have drawn better (than 14) on Saturday, but it is what it is and that will be Bill’s (Pinn’s) job to work out.

“I’m just hoping this weather improves, the better the track the better his chances will be.”

While a win on Saturday will be another feather in Guy’s hat, she takes special pride from her part in Legarto’s comeback from career-threatening injury.

“She first came to me to recover from the tendon strain she suffered at the start of her five-year-old season. She’s such a gross, good-doing mare, she had to be doing something, and we gradually worked her up on the treadmill and she was very forward when she went back to the Kelsos.

“That was only two weeks or so before she won the Lisa Chittick Stakes (Listed, 1400m), which was a huge thrill for everyone.

“The most emotional win for me was the Herbie Dyke Stakes at Te Rapa in February, seeing her win that again two years after the first, it meant so much.

“She’s such a lovely mare, you can’t help but love horses like her, and it’s going to be emotional for everyone involved when she hops on the plan to Australia this weekend.”

Guy has one other starter this week, with Live On Air (NZ) (Proisir) engaged in the Rating 75 1200m at Te Rapa on Friday.

At her last start the Proisir mare finished fifth, just over two lengths behind leading Easter Handicap prospect Elle Sourit (NZ) (Ocean Park), at Ellerslie on Champions Day.

“That was a good effort and I’m very happy with her,” Guy said. “Dropping back to 1200m will suit her and she’ll handle the west track better than most of them.”