Recent X-rays on progressive Sydney miler Single have confirmed he’s recovering speedily from the broken cannon bone which robbed him of a start in this year’s Group 1 Doncaster Handicap at Randwick during the Sydney Carnival in April.
Single, picture Sportpix.com.au
The Craig Carmody-trained son of High Chaparral had a plate and several screws inserted into his off-hind leg two months back to secure a condylar fracture, and has recently progressed to the next phase of his five-month recovery.
He’s now allowed to roam around a small yard after being boxed since undergoing the knife at the Randwick Equine Centre.
The four-year-old won’t race again this year, but Carmody said Single was on track for a return next autumn.
“Chris O’Sullivan who did the surgery was very happy with the post-surgery X-rays,” Carmody said.
“They’ve just had an additional set done at the two-month stage and they were very pleased with that, and said that he can go out into a paddock now.
“The horse has mentally handled it well. There’s still a fair way to go but things are looking a lot brighter.
“It’s difficult to define where he did it. I noticed a distinct lameness on the Thursday morning before the Doncaster so he’s done it somewhere in his work or in his box.
“I said to the owners the worst thing would’ve been if we ran him not noticing it and heaven knows what would’ve happened.”
Single forced his way into this year’s Doncaster field after grabbing four wins in his last five starts, most recently in the listed Sky Height Stakes (1900m) at Rosehill on March 24.
Nathan Berry was in the saddle for all four wins, and believes next year’s $2m Doncaster is a realistic target.
“He’s definitely aimed for that, he’ll be back in time, he’ll be up and running, he’ll be ready to go,” Berry said.
“Let’s just hope the operation’s gone well and he comes back the same horse. I’ve always thought as a five-year-old [in the Doncaster] he’s a real good live chance.
“I think he’s a serious race horse.”
