By MICHAEL GUERIN
If Lough Neagh had never stepped on to a racetrack she still would have been valuable broodmare.
But that doesn't make it much easier for owner-trainer Mark Smith to handle his filly's career-ending injury.
Lyell Creek's little half-sister has been taking steps in the same direction as
her famous sibling in the last fortnight, setting trotting national records and beating the best of her age.
The ease with which she overcame a horror draw to beat the colts at Alexandra Park last Friday suggested she had a huge racetrack future. Until the next day.
That was when she was diagnosed with a severe injury to the lower section of a knee, one which means her career is over after just five starts.
Lough Neagh - by champion trotting stallion Sundon and a half-sister to Lyell Creek, our greatest trotter and one of the world's fastest milers ever - is set for a very commercial broodmare career.
"It [the injury] is sad because she could have made a top racehorse," says Smith, "but at least we have still got her to breed from."
Lyell Creek's performances in the United States have stamped him as world class and Smith admits he is already making inquiries about a world champion partner for Lough Neagh.
"I am thinking about trying to get some semen from Varenne for her," said Smith, after the announcement the world trotting champion will be available to New Zealand breeders.
"I am definitely going to breed from her this coming season and with her bloodlines she will be going to one of the top stallions."
Any foal from Lough Neagh will have its fans.
The little filly quickly won over top horseman Todd Mitchell when he drove her last Friday.
"She is a lovely trotter and she might have been feeling that injury during the race last week but it never stopped her trying."
