Group 1-winning mare First Seal (Aus) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}), who had her autumn campaign blighted by injury, is on course for a return to the races as a 5-year-old after pleasing trainer John Thompson with a barrier trial win at Randwick on Monday.
First Seal, who carries the colours of the China Horse Club, shaped with a filly of great promise as a 3-year-old, winning the G1 Flight S. over Winx (Aus) (Street Cry {Ire}). The winner of the G2 Millie Fox S. Feb. 20, she was runner-up in the G1 Canterbury S. in March. Thompson told Racing.com First Seal suffered a splint bone injury in that effort, which was only discovered after her 12th in the G1 Doncaster H. two starts later.
“She was galloped on and shattered her splint bone second-up and we didn't know until after her run in the Doncaster,” Thompson said. “It's not a weight-bearing bone so it was removed and she seems to have fully recovered and is going really well.”
First Seal's first assignment will be the G2 Golden Pendant S. at Rosehill Sept. 24, followed by the G2 Tristarc S. at Caulfield Oct. 15 and the G1 Myer Classic Oct. 29 at Flemington.
“With the injury we've held her back a little bit and have brought her up nice and steadily with the view to have her peaking in Melbourne,” Thompson noted.
Also among Monday's trial winners was G1 All Aged S. winner English (Aus) (Encosta de Lago {Aus}), who is expected to start her campaign in the G2 The Short S. at Randwick Sept. 17.
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
