The post on his Facebook page said it all: “Ricci’s Back Baby!!!”
Flying Ricciardo is flying again, smashing the Bulli 340m track record in a trial on Friday morning in his first run since suffering a hock injury in December.
Flying Ricciardo has not raced since winning the Group 1 Sportsbet Megastar at Dapto on December 10. Following that inaugural Group 1 victory, he headed to Victoria to trial in preparation for the Silver Chief series, but following the trial it was discovered he had suffered a hairline fracture of his hock and would be off the scene indefinitely.
But, as the Facebook post, and the stunning time suggest … he is back.
“The nerves were pretty bad before the trial, but I couldn’t be happier with the way he went,” trainer Kristy Sultana said.
Asked how Well he went, at first Sultana was coy, but then she revealed how good the star sprinter had trialled.
“Yeah he went Well,” she said. How Well? “Well, he smashed his own record. He set the track record at Bulli in his first start, his maiden, running 18.91s. Today he ran 18.75s.
“That was his first run around the circle (track) too. Until now he has just had a couple of gallops up the straight and that’s been it - not timed or anything - just to get his fitness back up and see how he would pull up and to see if the injury was affecting him.
“And again he’s pulled up Well, he’s not limping at all, and that was our main thing with this trial. Not the time but to see how he pulls up. And thankfully, everything is going to plan so far. “
While Flying Ricciardo may have missed some feature races while he has been sidelined, there are plenty of major races coming up on the calendar. Tomorrow marks seven weeks until the Ladbrokes Golden Easter Egg heats will be held at Wentworth Park, but while it’s a goal, it’s not the “end of the world” if he’s not ready Kristy says.
“We have plenty of time, but I said to dad, it’s not the end of the world being in it,” she said. “He has to be 100 per cent right to be in the Easter Egg. If he’s only 80 per cent, no, I’m not racing him. He won’t be going in it.
“There is no rush. He’s still young, and it’s about placing him right now, not just getting him in a big race for the sake of putting him in it.”
While they have been off the scene, Kristy and Flying Ricciardo have embarked on fund raising for a great cause, The Kids Cancer Project.
Collaborating with the Merch Fan Co, they have produced a t-shirt which will see over $20 from each sale go direct to The Kids’ Cancer Project.
“I have been around greyhounds my whole life, and Ricci has already provided us with so many opportunities. We want to use his following to do positive things and this is the first of those,” she said.
For full details of how to purchase a Flying Ricciardo t-shirt, which will not only help a worthy cause but gets you free entry to Wentworth Park when the dog races in his next Group race final, head to Flying Ricciardo’s Facebook page.
