Variety Club may be headed to stud
Variety Club’s future is still hanging in the balance even though the dual Horse of the Year has made a complete recovery from his earlier leg problem.
Derek Brugman, owner Markus Jooste’s racing manager, said at the weekend: “Variety Club had a minor leg injury and some of the reports that came out have been a little misconstrued.
“There was a bit of swelling but he was never lame. We didn’t want to take any risks as he is too valuable for that/ But he he has recovered well and is in good shape. The vets are confident that there won’t be any hassles about racing him again.
“However it meant that we put aside our plans for the rest of this year, that is the Prix de la Foret and Breeders’ Cup. We are now looking at our options which are basically retiring him to stud or racing him for another year.”
“We will look at timing and races and, if they don’t fit in with our plans, then he will go to stud.”
Dynamic, who has not raced since running Capetown Noir to less than half a length in the Investec Cape Derby over 19 months ago, returns in a mile novice plate at Durbanville on Wednesday.
Dynamic (in silver grey and blue) got close to the champion in the Derby
Jonathan Snaith said: “Dynamic did a tendon in a gallop in Durban three weeks before the Daily News. There is a long way to go before we look at features with him.”
Snaith added: “The exciting one is Arion (off since finishing third to Legislate in this year’s Cape Derby). He will be aimed at the J & B Met and he runs in a graduation plate at Durbanville on Saturday.”
Lohnromance, who put in the performance of the meeting with an impressive debut at the country course on Saturday), has tested Yogas Govender to the limit and has only a limited future.
Govender explained: “She is blessed with talent but she is very unsound as she has an inherent deformity in her off-fore pastern.
“We don’t dare put her in a paddock, we always lead her to her work and afterwards we put the leg in ice-buckets. We will only be able to race her sparingly.
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