Imported stayer Hathras is likely to be retired after he finished at the tail of the field in the Rewards Handicap at Canterbury yesterday.
The racing career of Hathras is set to come to a premature end after he failed to fire once again at Canterbury yesterday. Photo by: Steve Hart
Hathras was once considered one of the most promising stayers in Sydney, but he failed to fire in his last three starts heading into the Rewards Handicap.
Trainer Kris Lees said before the race that Hathras had been working well at home, but his strong trackwork did not translate to raceday and he failed respond when asked for an extra effort by jockey Hugh Bowman and the leading Sydney jockey elected to pull the son of Dansili gelding up in the final stages of the race.
A post-race veterinary examination could find no abnormalities with Hathras and Lees conceded after the race that his recommendation to owners Australian Bloodstock would be to retire the horse, who appears to have lost all interest in racing.
Hathras made his racing debut in Germany in 2012 and after performing well in three race starts he was purchased by Australian Bloodstock and transferred to the care of Lees in Newcastle.
The imported stayer made his Australian racing debut with a credible third in the NBN Television Handicap (1500m) at Newcastle in February of 2013 and he stamped himself as a galloper with plenty of talent when he scored a four lengths win in the Endeavour Packaging Services Handicap (1800m) at Rosehill Gardens on March 2.
Hathras proved that victory was no fluke when he romped to a ninth length victory in the Hunts Comfort Inn Handicap (2200m) at Warwick Farm and that performance was enough to earn him a start at the highest level of racing where he finished a credible seventh behind Fiveandahalfstar in the Group 1 The BMW (2400m).
He was sent to the spelling paddock after he suffered an injury during the Group 2 Chairman’s Quality (2600m) at Royal Randwick and has been unable to return to a semblance of his best form since.
Hathras beat home just a single runner in two race starts during the early stages of the 2013 Spring Racing Carnival in Sydney and he was beaten by a combined total of over 30 lengths when he contested the Arrowfield Tarangower Handicap (1300m) at Scone on August 29 and the Coates Broadmeadow Mile (1600m) at Newcastle on September 18.
Australian Bloodstock still have a number of talented horses under the care of Kris Lees, headlined by 2014 Melbourne Cup winner Protectionist.
