The Everest loses sprint star Menari to injury

The ‘Ferrari’ is staying in the garage and will miss The Everest.

Gerald Ryan’s star sprinter Menari was ruled out for the spring on Wednesday morning after he sustained an injury to his near fore tendon during a track gallop a day earlier.

 

“He had a jump out on Tuesday and after he cooled down we noticed a bit of swelling when he was in his box,” Ryan said. “These things happen in racing and I’ve been around long enough to know that. You can’t do much about it.

“It’s entirely up to the owners now as to what we do with him. They can retire him or give him another six months to get right.”

Menari, the winner of the Rosebud Stakes and Run to the Rose last spring, was one of the favourites to take out the $13m Everest (1200m) at Royal Randwick on October 13.

James McDonald was set to ride him in the big race and he was feeling very confident about the horse’s chances.

“He was coming along enormous. James rode him in work last Friday morning and said he was the real deal,” Ryan said. “He jumped out on Tuesday morning with three other mates and he went really, really well.

“We haven’t seen the best of him, that’s all I know.”

The Snitzel four-year-old has only had eight starts in an injury-plagued career and he was on the comeback trail after he was ruled out of the autumn carnival with a fetlock injury.

“He’s a big horse and a big-striding horse so he’s probably more prone to injury than smaller horses,” Ryan said.

It’s not just McDonald that rated Menari as one the best horses in Australia.

In the past six months more than one jockey has ridden Menari in track work and given him the ultimate compliment of saying he’s the best sprinter in the country.

“One might say it, but when three are saying it and they’re three well-known, leading jockeys, you respect their judgment,” Ryan said.

Menari’s stablemate Trapeze Artist is the $4.50 favourite for The Everest.

Menari’s injury now opens the door for another horse to gain a run for slot holder Max Whitby. Two horses, Kementari and Nature Strip, are the third and fifth favourites for The Everest despite not having a spot in the race yet.

News: The Daily Telegrapgh

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