Testa Rossa’s globetrotting Gr1-winning mare Ortensia will head back to Australia reports Breeding and Racing.
Following an injury-induced below par performance in Saturday’s Gr1 Haydock Sprint Cup, trainer Paul Messara told PA Racing that the triple Gr1 winner is “a bit tender”, and that she had “sustained a pretty good splicing” at the back of her fetlock in the race.
“I’m not sure exactly at what stage of the race she did it,” observed Messara, “but she got a good one-inch cut right at the back of the fetlock right over the sesamoid, so it would have been quite painful for her to run on it.”
Ortensia went into the race following a brilliant win in the Gr1 Nunthorpe Stakes and was sent off a 5/2 favourite with UK bookies.
Messara expressed relief that the injury is not likely to have any long-term effects, noting: “Hopefully after a couple of weeks to heal up, the bruising will go away [and] she will be okay. She’s still in Newmarket at the moment, but she will probably go into quarantine this week and get home…”
Ortensia has been the flag bearer for Australia and her sire Testa Rossa in recent months. Ever present in the Top Ten Sire’s lists, Testa Rossa stands at Vinery Stud for $33,000 inc GST.
