Falino Recovers From Eye Injury
- Sunday, 23 October 2011 03:45
Hobby trainer Jeff Caught is hoping his first venture onto a Melbourne racetrack will be successful with his talented sprinter Falino.
Caught has cleared Falino to continue his quest to win in three states following the four-year-old's bruising last start fifth to Joint Chiefs at Eagle Farm on October 15.
Falino, who has won four times in Brisbane and once in Sydney, disappointed Caught before he later discovered the gelding had been hit by a clod when he raced on the heavy track.
"He got hit by a clod in one eye which closed up pretty quick," Caught said.
"But it was back to normal the next day."
Caught gave Falino a through examination following the defeat and could find nothing amiss with the son of Fusaichi Pegasus.
"I've had his blood taken and it's come back fine," Caught said.
"I was very happy going into his last race when the track improved during the day but we got the big storm just before our race.
"He seemed to struggle to pick his feet up on the heavy track."
Caught has picked out the $150,000 Listed MSS Security Sprint down the Flemington straight six on Melbourne Cup day for Falino.
"I'm looking forward to having my first runner in Melbourne," Caught said.
"I've never set foot on a Melbourne racetrack before but I have been to Melbourne for tennis.
"I went there one year for the Australian Open and watched Leyton Hewitt get beaten in five sets and I ended up staying the next day to watch Venus Williams."
Falino will be accompanied on his flight to Melbourne on Wednesday by Gold Coast mare Femina Fashion who will run in the Schiavello Plate on Cup day before backing up in the Group Two Matriarch Stakes on November 5.
"Falino's done well since his last run and I couldn't be happier with him," Caught said.
"I'm sure when he gets to Melbourne he'll be competitive."
Caught, who works as a draftsman for a Brisbane engineering company, would have preferred to be in Melbourne earlier.
"I would have liked to do what Tony Gollan did with Spirit Of Boom and Listen Son and had him stabled at Flemington by now," he said.
"That way I could have given him a jump out at Flemington last Friday like Tony did with his horses."
