Injury Rules Handsome Prince Out Of Dapto Megastar

TAB Million Dollar Chase winner Handsome Prince has been ruled out of the upcoming Group 1 Dapto Megastar and is unlikely to contest the Group 1 Paws of Thunder early next year, after suffering a toe injury in last Friday’s Melbourne Cup heats.

A disappointed trainer Peter Lagogiane confirmed the news on Monday morning, and will have the toe which was dislocated in the race, scanned and X-rayed today to see the extent of the injury and decide on the treatment.

“He slipped out of the boxes which didn’t help him, and a few people said he could have done it there, but I think he did it around the turn where he was going for the inside run and he just clipped the four (Tough Tears) and he put a wrong step in. To me that’s where I think he did it,” Lagogiane explained.

“I had to pop it back in after the race but we’ll get an ultrasound and X-rays today and see if there are any chips and how far the tendon was stretched. It feels like it (the tendon) might have completely gone, and surgery is an option, but we will just wait and see.

“It’s naturally disappointing because we had everything in place, for him. The (Dapto) Megastar, and then the plan was to give him a rest over Christmas and come back in January for the Paws of Thunder (at Wentworth Park).”

Handsome Prince was having his first start since sensationally winning the TAB Million Dollar Chase last month at just his 20th start, but Lagogiane was philosophical about the injury.

“We are looking at around six weeks on the sidelines, but, it is what it is,” he said. “We’ll get him looked after and then just take our time. Shakeel (Latimer, the owner) was great and understanding about it when I told him what had happened. That’s racing unfortunately. You are up on cloud nine one week then next week back down to earth.

“We’ll get on top of this and get him back. There are plenty of races coming up in the New Year, so we’ll  take our time and focus on recovery.”

In what has been a wretched week for Lagogiane, his up and coming young sprinter Barcia Blue Boy also suffered an injury and will be sidelined for the next few weeks.

Heats of the Megastar, the only Group 1 in NSW run at a provincial track, will be held on December 3, with the $75,000 to the winner final on December 10.

The Club is now very hopeful of attracting some quality interstate runners, with the opening of the NSW-Victoria border today.