The Doctor is on the mend
Doctor Askar (NZ) (Derryn) is having a few days of R and R in the paddock following a float incident on Saturday that resulted in his late scratching from the Gr.1 Herbie Dyke Stakes (2000m) at Te Rapa.
The Waverley gelding looked a strong contender in the $700,000 feature following his last start heroics in the Gr.2 Thorndon Mile (1600m), and trainer Joanne Moss was excited to head north to give her charge his first tilt at elite-level.
However, it wasn’t to be, with Doctor Askar becoming fractious in the float enroute to Hamilton and following a veterinary inspection oncourse he was withdrawn from the contest.
“There were all those road works and we came around a corner, and he has scrambled. When he got off (the float) he was sore and that is why I got him vetted,” Moss said.
“We got him home and I will give him a couple of days and see how it all goes. I will let him chill out because he has had 10 hours on the truck.
“At the moment he is wandering around the paddock, is eating and he is happy as. He is just a little bit stiff and a little bit sore.”
Moss felt it was the opportune time to step her charge up over ground and in Group One company, and while disappointed to be denied that chance over the weekend, she is choosing to take a positive outlook, believing there are plenty of opportunities ahead for the five-year-old.
“It was just the right time to do it but never mind, you have just got to take the good with the bad,” she said. “You have got to look on the bright side, we have still got a horse.
“He is still learning, I don’t think he still really knows what he is doing. He just gives me that impression, he is still playing around a bit too much.”
All going to plan, and Doctor Askar makes pleasing progress, he may get another opportunity at elite-level in next month’s Gr.1 Bonecrusher New Zealand Stakes (2000m) at Ellerslie on Champions Day.
“If he looks good to go, I would look at the Bonecrusher, but I am not going to push him,” Moss said.
Doctor Askar, a homebred son of Derryn, has won seven of his 21 starts to date, including the Thorndon Mile, Gr.3 Easter Handicap (1600m) and Listed Flying Handicap (1400m), and he has earned $586,000 in prizemoney.
