Mishani Legend hopes to come back from oblivion

ONE day away from being put down, Mishani Legend is set to continue his miracle recovery at the Gold Coast.

Trainer Troy Pascoe. Picture: Kevin Farmer

RACING: Mishani Legend wasn’t meant to survive as a juvenile.

A mishap as a two-year-old had the young horse on the way to be humanely put down.

However the timing of the horse’s illness proved a blessing in disguise, and the now four-year-old is thriving under the care of Toowoomba trainer Tony Pascoe.

“He was on death’s door. He came back from the flu and pneumonia,” Pascoe said.

“They decided they would put him down, but it was a Sunday and the vet was closed.

“They waited until Monday and he came good. He’s a tough little bugger.

“We don’t know what happened. He wasn’t in my care at the time, but he came back from the breakers with a virus and then went downhill.

“They operated on him and took a rib out. There’s still a big scar there.”

Mishani Legend will line up at the Gold Coast tomorrow in his third race start.

The gelding debuted with Leon Phillips, running a distant ninth at the Sunshine Coast in August last year.

He has since gone back into the care of Pascoe, and after an encouraging second at Gatton last month, he believes he isn’t far away from getting off the mark.

“I educated him then he went to Leon Phillips to have his first start before coming back to me,” he said.

“He ran second at Gatton, so I think he likes home.

“He’s in decent order and is ready to win fitness wise, but it is a bit of a step up from Gatton.”

Top Ruler is another horse in the Pascoe camp looking to break his maiden at his third start.

The three-year-old made his debut last month at Dalby, before sitting wide and having no luck at the Sunshine Coast when running fifth.

“It’s a bit of a tough field, but he wants 1400m plus in distance,” Pascoe said.

“He’ll be a nice horse when he gets to the mile and I think he’ll benefit from a step up in trip and make a nice stayer later.

“It was a huge run at Caloundra. He sat three and four wide the trip. A lot of horses would’ve dropped out and run last.

“He just kept grinding away. If he gets a cushier run then he’ll run a cheeky race.”

Another from the Pascoe yard that will be heading to the Gold Coast is Mishani El Lobo.

Since joining Pascoe’s care at the end of last year, the gelding has won three of his six starts, including a Saturday metropolitan win at Eagle Farm and finishing just three lengths behind Outback Barbie at the Magic Millions meet.

“He got on the worst part of the track at the Millions, which was the same at Eagle Farm the other day,” he said.

‘The inside was terrible. He should’ve offered a bit more but Adin (Thompson) didn’t knock him around.

“The margin was exaggerated, and he’s fit and well if he’s going to bounce back tomorrow.

“He won’t be able to get near the lead, so if he can sit just off the speed. He showed first up that he doesn’t have to lead to win.”

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