Horse racing: NZ trainer coats over Imperatriz hoof issue

Imperatriz. Photo / Supplied

Mark Walker’s two richest race winners of last season face similar challenges when they return on either side of the Tasman tomorrow.

But Walker says punters won’t have to worry about a stewards’ alert concerning Imperatriz as she resumes in the A$300,000 McEwen Stakes at The Valley in Melbourne.

Imperatriz takes on Everest winner Giga Kick over 1000m, which may be on the short side for her, and punters may have grimaced when the Racing Victoria stewards sent out a notification yesterday that Imperatriz has had synthetic hoof filler applied to her front hooves.

Few things will scare hardened punters away more than the words “synthetic hoof filler”, which usually suggests an issue in the feet but Walker says that is not the case with his glamour mare.

“We coated the outside of her feet when she flew over, covering the nails, in case she pulled a shoe when she travelled, which she didn’t.

“But her feet are spot on so it is not an issue at all.”

What might be is drawing the outside of the seven-horse field but Walker is hoping his rivals go so hard Imperatriz can catch them tired late.

“A lot of people over there are saying Giga Kick is a home run but I think our mare can go a big race.”

Also facing an outside draw when resuming tomorrow is Karaka Million winner Tokyo Tycoon at Hastings, where his $2 opening quote looks under the odds in a deep El Roca Trophy.

Tokyo Tycoon has hardly dazzled in two recent trials, admittedly against open-class older gallopers, and he looks more like a juvenile than a finished product three-year-old.

“His trials have been plain but it is hard against those older horses,” said Walker. “He hasn’t grown a lot but that won’t stop him if he is good enough and he is hard to get a line on in trackwork.

“It will be interesting to see how he goes but it is early in the season and probably the one thing I’d say is he is starting to look like he wants to get over ground already.”