Unsung Heroine

Andrew Eddy
September 25, 2009

AdvertisementDAVID Hayes' best Melbourne Cup chance Unsung Heroine is struggling with an infected tendon, which threatens to derail lofty plans for the imported mare this spring.

The Sadler's Wells mare, who was purchased in England last December for $2.4 million by Sheikh Hamdan's Shadwell Stud, has missed some vital work this week, which has placed her entire campaign in doubt.

''She's on antibiotics at the moment and can't work, so it's important that she gets back on the track as soon as possible - certainly by the weekend - if she's going to get to the Melbourne Cup,'' Hayes said yesterday.

''She really turned the corner after she had that run at Flemington [when last in a 1700-metre handicap]. She wasn't working that well before the race but that seemed to spark her on and she was coming along very nicely. She'd been working brilliantly and I was looking forward to Friday night's race, but it's not the end of the world if she can't make it [to the Melbourne Cup]. I won't push her, as when she arrived here I had 2010 in mind for her anyway.''

Unsung Heroine made her Australian debut earlier this month at Flemington but failed to beat a runner home in an unsuitable 1700-metre race. Hayes said he was expecting her to improve ''out of sight'' in tonight's JRA Cup at Moonee Valley before the infection.

''It's nothing like a bowed tendon or anything like that,'' he said. ''She's obviously nicked herself slightly and the infection has come from there but we're hoping we've got on top of it and she can push on,'' he said.

Meanwhile, top rider Noel Callow has escaped serious injury but is expected to miss at least two weeks of the spring carnival after a fall at Betfair Park on Wednesday. Callow was cleared of any breaks, but sustained severe bruising to the buttocks.