Racing: Wait and see on outstanding Mi Jubilee

It will be several days before the extent of Mi Jubilee's problems are known.

The outstanding filly was sensationally beaten in Saturday's $45,000 Ford 2YO Classic at New Plymouth, dropping out from the home turn to be officially fourth but more than 10 lengths from the winner Kindacross and only one length from last.

The $2 favourite was ordered by stipendiary stewards to be examined by the club's veterinary surgeons, who determined Mi Jubliee was sore in the near-side front fetlock.

It is not known yet whether the brilliant winner of the Ellerslie version of the $120,000 Sires Produce Stakes will go forward to the Manawatu Sires Produce at Awapuni on Saturday week.

Rider David Walker said Mi Jubilee did a very ordinary preliminary before Saturday's race, but he thought little of it because the filly had done the same before her stunning runaway win in the Breeders Stakes at Matamata, although she had done a much better preliminary, going to the barriers in the subsequent Sires Produce at Ellerslie.

"She's odd like that - she can be fine one day and a touch scratchy the next. I didn't do anything about the preliminary yesterday because of the Matamata scenario."

But Walker said he knew he and the filly were in trouble almost as soon as they had left the barriers.

"She didn't feel right and when we got to the bend she got worse."

Walker said he doesn't know what to make of the whole affair.

"I know it's been said she can handle wet tracks because she won barrier trials against older horses in heavy ground before she raced last year, but there are wet tracks and wet tracks.

"New Plymouth when it's wet is different to all other tracks except Rotorua. There are some horses who simply can't handle New Plymouth and Rotorua when it's wet.

"The straights were fine yesterday, the going was even right across the track and fair to all horses, but the top bend was very choppy."

Walker said even star galloper Balmuse was beaten on a wet track at New Plymouth.

"He can handle wet ground, but I got beaten on him finishing third in a 1400m, 4-year-old race there when it rained. He came out and won his next four races straight.

"When Mi Jubilee struck that top bend yesterday she went to pieces. When we turned into the home straight she was gone and couldn't lengthen stride and I don't know whether it was what she was feeling or the fact that she was all done because of the track conditions."

Race horses, particularly very good ones, will run through a certain level of pain when their bodies are heated in a race and it would be surprising if the problem in Mi Jubilee's fetlock alone made her race at least 12 lengths off her best form.

"She was clearly feeling her near- side front leg coming back after the race but she wasn't lame.

"She was definitely not right, but whether raceday pressure made a small problem greater or the track conditions completely beat her remains to be seen," said Walker

"Regardless of all that, I believe she needs firm ground to produce her best. She's a smooth-actioned horse and a good surface will always help."