News

Hussler cleared for comeback

15th Feb 2010

The Daily Telegraph - Bart Sinclair - Sunday, 14 February 2010

TOP gun Weekend Hussler has been cleared to resume in the Oakleigh Plate at Caulfield on Saturday.

Trainer Ross McDonald has left no stone unturned over the past year as he has nursed Weekend Hussler back to the stage where he is ready to push again for the Group 1 spotlight.

The five-year-old has not race since finishing fifth of seven in the Australia Stakes at Moonee Valley on February 14 last year.

Subsequently Weekend Hussler was found to have a rare strain to the inside of a fetlock joint.

"We couldn't pinpoint the problem with normal X-rays. After a month in the paddock he was still sore," McDonald said.

"We took some fluid out and it showed a bad red cell count. We then did an athroscopy which showed the problem and we went from there.

"At a pinch we could have raced him in the spring but we elected to give him a long spell and have every chance to come back to perform at his best. "I've totally changed his training. He swims and goes on the water treadmill every day and little fast work on the track. A karate expect even sent us a liquid called Ditajaw and we rub that into the joints."

It will be a marvellous training effort if McDonald can bring Weekend Hussler back with a big performance in the Oakleigh and just reward for a of of planning and hard work.

Another topliner returning this weekend is Alcopop in the Apollo Stakes at Rosehill.

Trainer Jake Stephens transferred Alcopop over to Berry on the NSW South Coast a fortnight ago and is thrilled with the way the five-year-old has travelled and settled in.

Alcopop had a gallop on te course proper at Kembla before the first race on Saturday and easily adapted to the right handed way of going.

The Jeune five-year-old was rested after finishing a solid sixth as favourite in the Melbourne Cup.

"He's come back bigger and stronger. We've set a tight program for him in Sydney with four starts spaced a fortnight apart. We'll see how he copes," Stephens said.

After the Apollo, Alcopop will run in the Chipping Norton, Ranvet and The BMW, all at weight-for-age.

Although he's untested at wfa, Alcopop has stunning acceleration which usually is the hallmark of horses who can perform under the scale.

The Apollo is shaping as a strong pointer to the autumn.

Likely runners include stablemates Rangirangdoo and Danleigh, Road To Rock, Roman Emperor, Theseo, Rock Kingdom and Vision And Power.

Saturday's William Reid Stakes winner Turffontein has been invited to run in Dubai at the World Cup meeting.

Trainer Anthony Cummings will have Turffontein inoculated this week but his first priority is the Newmarket Handicap on March 6.

"If he did win the Newmarket the Dubai option might look more attractive," Cummings said.

"At the moment I'm thinking more the Sydney carnival and ultimately I want to get him to Brisbane for the winter."