Minor Setback for Prowess

[Wandering Eyes]

High-class mare Prowess (NZ) has suffered a setback that will likely delay her spring campaign and it is now unlikely the daughter of Proisir will contest this year’s Gr.1 Cox Plate (2040m) for which she was prominent in pre-post betting.

Co-trainer Roger James revealed on Tuesday that an innocuous knock that evolved into an abscess required a medical procedure, which took place on Monday and would necessitate up to 10 days without work.

James said it was now ‘unlikely’ she would be at The Valley for the A$5 million Cox Plate (2040m) on October 28.

“They’re hoping a week to 10 days out of exercise could be the best-case scenario probably,” James told RSN of the vet’s prognosis.

“It’s pretty disappointing for all concerned but it’s not career-threatening.

“The spring of their four-year-old year can be pretty hard times when you’re taking on the very best company and sometimes these things are meant to be.

“There’s certainly nothing looking back that we could have done differently, or changed in the way the way we treated it, it’s just one of those things.

“It was pretty gutting but the owners have been wonderful in the way they have handled it. We are looking forward now. You look forward and not back and she has got her whole career ahead of her.”

The winner of seven of her nine starts to date, Prowess has won her past five races in succession, with a strong win in the Karaka Million 3YO Classic (1600m) a pre-cursor to victories in the Gr.1 Bonecrusher New Zealand Stakes (2050m) before crossing the Tasman for a dominant win in the Gr.1 Vinery Stud Stakes (2000m) at Rosehill on March 25.

While the Cox Plate is now unlikely, James – who trains in partnership with Robert Wellwood – is hopeful Prowess could yet appear in a Group One in Melbourne before the year is out, but was loathe to get too far ahead of himself.

“We’re hopeful that we might get over to Melbourne later, there’s always a race like the Matriarch or perhaps the old Mackinnon if everything went 110 percent right,” James said.

The A$3 million Gr.1 Champions Stakes (2000m), formerly known as the Mackinnon Stakes, will be run at Flemington on November 11, the same day as the A$300,000 Gr. 2 Matriarch Stakes (2000m).

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