Group 1 winning filly Nechita could be on the sidelines until the Spring with trainer John Thompson not wanting to rush the three year old back after a knee operation.
Nechita could be out until the Spring Carnival. Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia
The Patinack Farm owned Nechita lived up to her reputation with a decisive win down the Flemington straight in the Group 1 $500,000 Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) on November 3.
But Thompson had to order an immediate operation to remove bone chips from her knee following the Group 1 win and a return to the racetrack could be as far away as the Spring.
With the filly still in the spelling paddock the upcoming Autumn Carnivals are definitely out of the question with the Brisbane Winter Carnival a remote possibility.
“She has had her three months now since the operation and she seems OK, but I’m keen to have another look at her,” Thompson said.
“She might be able to make it back for the Brisbane winter, but I don’t really know yet.”
“One thing I can tell you is I’m not going to take any risks with her.
“If I was a betting man I’d say there was an 80 per-cent chance you won’t see her until the Spring.”
Nechita always showed plenty of potential with a debut win at Warwick Farm in June last year before winning the Group 3 $125,000 Coolmore Silver Shadow Stakes (1200m) on August 25 at the same track.
The Fastnet Rock filly’s only blemish was her sixth as favourite behind the Peter Snowden pair of Epaulette and Albrecht in the Group 1 $1m De Bortoli Wines Golden Rose (1400m) at Rosehill on September 15.
But the classy filly bounced back in the Coolmore Stud Stakes to give Sydney jockey Christian Reith his first Group 1 success with Thompson declaring that there would be more wins in store.
“I’ve always thought she was a top line sprinter. She’s a good horse going forward and I’m sure she’s got plenty more of them install,” Thompson said.
The win of Nechita at Flemington as well as the efforts of Patinack Farm owned All Too Hard in taking out the Group 1 $1m BECK Caulfield Guineas (1600m) at Caulfield on October 13 before finishing second to Ocean Park in the Group 1 $3m Sportingbet Cox Plate (2040m) at Moonee Valley on October 27 helped relieve Nathan Tinkler’s dire financial woes that had been troubling him throughout the Spring Carnival.
