Dual Group One-winning sprinter Super Elegant is on track to make a comeback from a life-threatening injury at the Brisbane carnival later this year.

Part-owner Rod Lyons said the eight-year-old who suffered a deep gash to a hind leg when fourth in the Moir Stakes at Moonee Valley in October had made a remarkable recovery.

"For 72 hours it looked like he was going to die but the leg has healed up well and the vet thinks there is every chance he can race again," Lyons said.

Kelvin Bourke has pre-trained Super Elegant at Drysdale on the Bellarine Peninsula near Geelong and nursed the gelding back to health.

"We went down to Kelvin's and saw him (Super Elegant) down at the beach the other day and he looks fantastic now," Lyons said.

"I don't want to race him for the sake of racing him but he is the sort of horse who likes people around him.

"We are going to poke around with him and see what happens.

"Lyons said trainer Tony Vasil was planning to include Super Elegant in his team of 10-12 horses bound for Queensland mid-year.

"Tony is taking a team to Brisbane and he is going to throw him in the van and take him up there."

Super Elegant has won 19 races with 15 of his last 16 wins at stakes level, including the Group One Goodwood Hcp and Doomben 10,000 in 2004.

Wednesday's Sandown winner Esceegee, also part-owned by Lyons and trained by Vasil, is closely related to Super Elegant.

Esceegee is by 1998 Victoria Derby winner Arena from Miss Chanel who is a half-sister by Splendent to Super Elegant.

Esceegee cost $150,000 at the Gold Coast Magic Millions but like Super Elegant has had problems.

His racing career was delayed while he recovered from a cracked shoulder and he made his debut as a four-year-old last October.

"He had a quite a long spell but now we have given him that time he just keeps on improving," Lyons said.


Source: AAP

11/01/2006 7:05 PM
By Robert Windmill