An untimely hoof injury curtailed Keith Dryden’s plans to set promising mare Vinolass on a path toward stakes company.
After three easy country wins from as many starts, Dryden was ready to raise the bar but a paddock accident meant the four-year-old will have been off the scene for 11 months when she returns in the Arrowfield Advantage Handicap (1100m) at Warwick Farm today.
Jockey Nash Rawiller and veteran Canberra trainer Keith Dryden.Credit: Getty
“I was hopeful, originally, of getting to a black-type race to try to get some breeding status behind her,” Dryden said.
“She was going really well and I spelled her and she hurt her foot in the paddock. Some of the hoof came away and we had to give it time to grow back.”
It’s notable that Vinolass hasn’t trialled officially since her runaway 5½ length win at the Sapphire Coast back on March 31 last year, but Dryden said she has contested a jump out at home.
He’s wary that she’ll be a little underdone for her first city assignment but is keen to get her started.
“She’s a nice mare but I’d think she’d possibly need the run after such a break,” he said.
“I gave her a solid jump out, it was only here on the synthetic track over 800m. I’m happy with the way she is going but whatever she does she’ll improve.
“Just to the eye she does look a little bit big. I let her stroll along some three-quarter work on Monday morning and the bloke who rode her work said she was awesome.”
