Winton's New Zealand Cup hopeful suffers injury
Tiger Fire was progressing towards a start in the $300,000 New Zealand Cup in Christchurch on November 18. Now it will be out of work for seven or eight months.
Jamie Searle is a long-time Southland racing writer. You can read more of his work at the Southland Thoroughbreds Facebook page.
Winton stayer Tiger Fire will miss the remainder of the season after suffering a suspensory ligament injury.
Trainer John Phillips said Tiger Fire would need to be out of work for seven or eight months.Â
"There's a tear in the ligament and it's going to need time to heal."
Tiger Fire was progressing towards a start in the $300,000 New Zealand Cup in Christchurch on November 18.
The injury happened in his latest race - a rating 75 2200m at Wingatui on October 19. He won with his ears pricked but was found to be tender in the front on returning to the birdcage.
It was Tiger Fire's third race in this campaign.
"He was coming to hand nicely, everything was falling into place," Phillips said.
"He had a nomination for the NZ Cup, but even if that didn't come off there were some nice races down here after Christmas."
The races Phillips was referring to include the Dunedin and Invercargill Gold Cups in February.
"He's only five, he's got time on his side and only had 19 or 20 starts."
All of Tiger Fire's five wins have been from Phillips' stable. Last summer Tiger Fire scored three consecutive wins at Ascot Park, Wingatui and Gore.
Meanwhile, Phillips is thinking about starting Darcee Que in a rating 65 2000m on the last day of the New Zealand Cup meeting in Christchurch on November 18.
She has had no luck in her last two races, both times racing wide and keeping up a strong gallop to finish second (at Gore last week) and sixth (Wingatui, October 19).
