Last year's G1 Gold Cup hero Trip To Paris (Ire) (Champs Elysees {GB}) has spent the winter in Australian recuperating from a tendon injury sustained when finishing 14th in the G1 Japan Cup Nov. 29, and trainer Ed Dunlop said the 5-year-old gelding will return to his British stable in May.
“As has been documented, he got a tendon injury in the Japan Cup and he's actually in Australia now,” Dunlop explained. “We sent him to a tendon expert in Australia and the reports are very good. He will return to me, I believe, at the beginning of May ready to start again.”
Dunlop did not rule out a title defense of the Gold Cup at Ascot in late June, but the conditioner was cautionary.
“He's had a serious injury, unfortunately,” he said. “If we can get him back on track there's the Gold Cup, but we'll see what condition he comes back in.”
Trip To Paris made a big impression in Australia late last year, finishing second in the G1 Caulfield Cup in his local debut and fourth, beaten two lengths, in the G1 Melbourne Cup.
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