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A swimming mishap has ended talented Newcastle sprinter Stratana's preparation for the $150,000 WHK Ramornie Handicap at Grafton.
Photo by Racing and Sports
Stratana was set to run in the $100,000 Takeover Target Stakes at Gosford on Friday and then head to Grafton for the Ramornie on July 11 after his last start second in the June Stakes at Rosehill on June 9.
However a bout of colic that resulted from a freak swimming mishap has forced Broadmeadow trainer Paul Perry to send Stratana for a spell.
Perry reported that Stratana fell ill after routine swimming exercise in the pool at Broadmeadow last Tuesday.
"His head went under and he swallowed some water. The chlorine caused him to get a bit of colic," Perry said.
"He will have to go for a spell to be certain he recovers. It's a big shame as he was in top form.
"I was looking forward to him going for the big sprints at Gosford and Grafton.'
Stratana, with five wins and six placings from only 13 starts, was looked on by Perry as an ideal horse for the Ramornie, a race that still eludes him after numerous attempts.
The four-year-old was narrowly beaten second up by Motspur at Scone last month and then finished second to Alberton Park in the Listed June Stakes (1100m) at Rosehill on June 9 before his swimming pool incident.
Alberton Park and Skytrain, third in the June Stakes, are both possible Ramornie runners.
The pair are set for a rematch at Gosford on Friday in the Takeover Target Stakes, a race that stands up every year as a major guide to the Ramornie.
Skytrain's trainer Peter Snowden, in line to win the Ramornie for the third successive year, has also named Parthian as another possible entry for the Grafton sprint.
Snowden has won the last two Ramornies with Pinwheel and Jerezana and is keen to play a bigger hand at this year's carnival.
"I'll probably have about half a dozen horses for the support races as well," Snowden said.
The trainer has missed his two Ramornie wins but is keen to attend this year's carnival for the first time
since he was a jockey in the 1970s.Snowden has mixed memories of Grafton as he suffered a broken ankle when his mount fell in the 1975 Ramornie the last time he rode at the track.