By Michael Guerin
A second opinion could decide the future of Auckland Cup hero Vincent.
The outstanding pacer is likely to miss the rest of this year and may even not race again after being diagnosed with a suspensory problem last week.
Trainers Mark Purdon and Natalie Rasmussen have by no means given up getting the four-year-old back to the track but have been advised to give him at least nine months out of work.
The All Stars trainers are in Victoria this week aiming Lazarus and Heaven Rocks at the A$500,000 Hunter Cup on Saturday but next week their big guns will head to Sydney for three weeks and Vincent will be going with them instead of flying back to New Zealand.
“Bill and Jean (Feiss, owners) have asked us to take Vincent with us and monitor him while we get a second opinion,” explains Purdon.
“We have a vet in New Zealand who has done plenty of work on him and we will send the scans over to her.
“It is not about second guessing the vets over here, just about trying to tick all the boxes before they start making decisions.
“I’d love him to come back into work at the end of his time off but we also understand if the diagnosis isn’t great then they will have interest from studs so the more information we have the better.”
While Vincent’s career is on hold Lazarus is totally over his recent hoof concussion problems from Perth and being worked like they never happened.
“We are really happy with him and I don’t think the race he missed will both him this Saturday because he had a really good fitness base.
“We are also happy with Heaven Rocks, he is thriving over here and we are hoping this trip is the making of him.”
The barrier draw for the Hunter Cup is on Tuesday.
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