Oradonna can make up for week from hell as Right Or Wrong succumbs to tendon injury

LINDSAY Gough can be forgiven for being a shade pessimistic about Oradonna’s chances at Doomben on Saturday given the week the Eagle Farm trainer has endured.

Right Or Wrong wins at Doomben on January 30. Picture: Trackside Photography.

LINDSAY Gough can be forgiven for being a shade pessimistic about promising mare Oradonna’s chances at Doomben on Saturday. It is understandable, given the week the Eagle Farm trainer has endured.

Gough’s best horse Right Or Wrong suffered a tendon injury, with scans confirming he will need up to a year on the sidelines.

While Gough has been told by Victorian tendon injury wonder worker Lee Everson that it is likely Right Or Wrong will race again, the trainer is resigned to the horse never reaching his full potential.

“It just tears your heart out,” Gough said. “When you have a small stable like we do, you wait for years to get a decent horse like him and you don’t know when you might get another one.

“Good horses aren’t easy to find. It’s one of the toughest days I’ve had in racing, but I guess you have to be optimistic.”

Everson told Gough he was yet to treat a horse that failed to get back to the races, with champion jumper Bashboy a glowing example of how horses can overcome tendon injuries.

Bashboy was retired on Saturday only because he is not permitted to race on into his 13th year. He won three Grand National Steeples after having two years off with a tendon injury.

“Lee was very optimistic so I just have to hope he’s right,” Gough said.

“From what I’ve seen, some (rehabilitations) work, most don’t.”

Right Or Wrong has won five of his 14 starts and was regarded as one of Queensland’s most promising horses.

Oradonna has won three from seven, but barrier 18 makes her task difficult in the final event at Doomben.

“I’m leaning towards running her, because there’s not a lot of other options,” Gough said.

“There’s a midweek option, but if we want to stay in Saturday grade, we would have to wait for a 1400m race at Caloundra (on April 23) which would mean four weeks between runs up to 1400m.

“The vital thing for her (Saturday) is to get cover. If she’s exposed I think she’s got no hope, but with cover, hopefully we can get some speed on and she can run home.”

Market assessors believe the toughest for Oradonna to beat is Chris Anderson’s unbeaten mare Elegant Composure.

“She does have an awkward gate and this is her toughest test, but she’s broken class records in her past two wins and I think she’s up to it,” Anderson said.

Oradonna has won three from seven, but barrier 18 makes her task difficult in the final event. Picture: Trackside Photography

Originally published as Oradonna can make up for week from hell as Right Or Wrong succumbs to tendon injury