Racing: Carabella ready to return

Trainer Hill wants to be sure it has not aggravated her tendon problem which has ruined the past year for her. Photo / Thinkstock

Trainer has fingers crossed classy mare is over tendon injury after brilliant trial win.

Brendon Hill will wait until this morning before allowing himself to smile over Carabella's blistering comeback yesterday.

It is only when he knows for certain the great mare has come through her winning trial at Rangiora without damaging her troublesome tendon that he will be truly happy.

Carabella was brilliant in her first public appearance in over 14 months, sitting parked before unleashing a 55.6-second last 800m to hold out trotting speed freak Escapee.

While the overall time was not fast and Carabella was tiring at the line, the run was enough to suggest she is on her way back to the top.

First, trainer Hill wants to be sure it has not aggravated her tendon problem which has ruined the past year for her.

"My vet told me it will be all right but you always want to wake up the next morning and know they have cooled down and recovered all right," said Hill yesterday.

"So, if she walks out of the box tomorrow sound and healthy I will be happy. And relieved."

Carabella is the forgotten queen of New Zealand pacing, especially as arch rival Bettor Cover Lover has been so dominant in her absence.

During their 3- and 4-year-old seasons Carabella has a distinct head to head advantage over her great rival.

In 19 starts Carabella has been beaten only twice, both times by Bettor Cover Lover, which Hill says has left him with mixed emotions while watching Bettor Cover Lover thrash her mare opponents in the past year.

"It partly made me feel good, knowing that she is so much better than the rest and she is the only one who can beat us, usually," said Hill.

"But it has also been hard knowing we can beat her, too, and that she has been winning all these big races.

"But hopefully, we can get back and test her again."

As long as Carabella holds together she will have a workout this Saturday in the hands of race-night driver Ricky May and then contest a free-for-all at Addington on April 19.

"Our goal is to qualify for the Jewels and to do that we have worked out we need to win about $16,000 to $18,000 before the mid-May cut-off date," says Hill.

"So, she might race next week and then in the Rangiora Classic on April 28, or miss the Classic and contest a couple of free-for-alls at Addington next month. But so far so good and God, it is good to have her back."

If Carabella goes to Rangiora on April 28 she will almost certainly need a new driver as May will be in Sydney to drive Terror To Love in the Miracle Mile.

"I suppose we wouldn't be short of options but I'd say maybe Mark Jones, if he didn't have one of his own in the race, would be the most likely replacement."

One horse who won't be contesting the Miracle Mile is one-time favourite Christen Me.

The sensational 4-year-old bolted in at Addington last Friday but trainer Cran Dalgety has decided Alexandra Park suits better than the A$750,000 riches of Menangle.

"We were really tempted to go to the Mile, especially after he won the Chariots Of Fire there [March 3]," said Dalgety.

"But I am a little intimidated by the way Terror To Love won the Easter Cup, to be honest.

"So I am thinking why go over there to take him on when we can head to Auckland and race in the Taylor Mile and Messenger and then come back here for the Jewels?"

That puts Christen Me on a collision course with Gold Ace, who has also pulled out of Miracle Mile contention.

He was sore after a workout at Alexandra Park last week and trainer Steven Reid has scrapped plans to head to Sydney this week to qualify for the Mile.

The Mile has been hit by another defection, with two-time defending champion Smoken Up pulling out because of a lingering injury problem.