Pakenham jumps to highs and lows

By Brad Kingsbury
THE luck of racing hit trainers John Leek and Robbie Laing hard before Monday’s meeting at Pakenham, both losing topline jumpers to injury before the start of the program.
Despite high hopes, Laing’s exciting prospect True Steel did not accept for the meeting after developing a severe infection in a hind leg and being sent to a veterinary hospital in Ballarat, where its condition was listed as serious on Tuesday morning.
Pakenham stalwart Leek was forced to scratch his wellperformed hurdler The Big Ask from the opening race, the Team Leek Steeplechase, in which it was oddson favourite.
The rising stable star broke down with a tendon injury on the weekend and Leek said it was a major disappointment after it had been set to win the Pakenham race and then progress to the rich Melbourne jumping carnival next month.
“He’s not finished,” Leek said despite it being the third tendon injury the horse has sustained.
“He’ll have a sixmonth break and then we’ll bring him back and do a bit and he’ll have a crack again next year.
“It’s disapppointing but that’s racing and you just push on,” he said.
Monday’s meeting featured three jumps races, although a shortage of nominations forced the cancellation of a planned fourth event.
Leek took out the Novice Hurdle with Colaton, while Catherine Jordan’s gelding Wyndham Quest upset shortpriced favourite Father Patrick in the Maiden Steeplechase.
The highlight of the jumps races was the win of threeyearold filly Desert Heiress, ridden by Patrick Payne in the Maiden Hurdle.
It was Payne’s first ride in a jumps event at the track and he said he believed it was the first time a threeyearold filly had won a jumps race in Australasia and predicted bigger things for the rising star.
“We thought she’d make a good jumper but she’s come to hand so quickly. I’ve been doing a lot of practice with her,” he said.
“She looked like she won with plenty in reserve but there wasn’t as much as you might think. She’s genuine but she’s still very young and we’ll see how she pulls up and just find another suitable race for her.”