Sheikh Hamdan homebred Zawraq (Ire) (Shamardal), among the early favourites for last year's G1 Investec Derby before being sidelined by injury prior to the blue riband, is making a slower than expected recovery, according to racing manager Angus Gold. Zawraq extended his winning record to two for trainer Dermot Weld when taking Leopardstown's Listed 2000 Guineas Trial by 3 1/2 lengths last April, but suffered a crack thereafter in his off-fore cannon bone and has been sidelined since.
“Zawraq is a work in progress,” Gold said of the now 4-year-old. “He's still mending and is not as good as we'd like him to be. It's one of those niggling little problems that keep recurring, and three weeks ago he went lame again.”
Gold noted Zawraq would be given time.
“His rehabilitation continues, but we won't be doing anything in a hurry with him,” he said. “Hopefully he will go back into training in three weeks or so, but it's going to be one step at a time.”
When asked if Zawraq will see a racecourse again, Gold said, “Hopefully he will, but it's definitely in the balance.”
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