Last year's G2 May Hill S. winner Powerful Breeze (GB) (Iffraaj {GB}) is recovering well from broken ribs, with trainer Hugo Palmer saying he expects to have the filly ready for an autumn campaign.
The Ali Ridha colourbearer, who was second by a head to Quadrilateral (GB) (Frankel {GB}) in the G1 Fillies' Mile when last seen in October, fell when spooked by a car while out for exercise in Newmarket about seven weeks ago, suffering some broken ribs.
Palmer explained on Racing TV, “She got a fright from a speeding car, lost her rider and then fell over, landing on the stirrup iron. She broke some ribs, which are healing–it's seven weeks ago yesterday, they are healing but anyone who's had a broken rib knows it's a slow and painful process. Obviously for a horse, that's where we have to put the girth around.”
“We will get her back,” he added. “People have joked to me, 'you might get to run her in the Guineas anyway', but I very, very firmly would much rather watch the Guineas go ahead as soon as possible without her and then we can find some autumn targets for her.”
With racing off until May 1, Palmer continues to take things day by day.
“I think for everyone up and down the country, it's a little bit like groundhog day isn't it?” He said. “Luckily for those who train racehorses, groundhog day does include getting out of bed, going out and looking after our horses, exercising them and bringing them back in and keeping their owners up to date with the progress we're making. None of us are quite sure in which direction we're making progress, because we don't know when and what is going to start.
“The horses have to do enough to keep themselves safe and protected from injury. A huge amount of Flat trainers' horses at this time of year would be being prepared for debuts in July, August, September or October. We've got loads of 2-year-olds in every yard up and down the country, some that might be trained all year and not even run in 2020.
“A lot of the business as usual goes on, obviously horses that were being got ready for early targets have missed them, but they'll come round.”
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