Hayes plays down Fashion fears
David Hayes has doused speculation that Elegant Fashion, one of Hong Kong's frontline defenders for Sunday's Audemars Piguet Queen Elizabeth II Cup, is in danger of missing the race.
Speculation about the welfare of the 2003 Derby winner flared after the chestnut mare was seen sporting a heavily strapped left front hoof at trackwork the past two mornings. The doubts were underscored when Hayes instructed jockey Gerald Mosse to give her a steady workout over 1,600 metres, the final 1,200 metres just outside even time (1:30.00) instead of the expected full working gallop.
While admitting the mare has had a problem, Hayes was quick to dispel fears that it may negate her chances. He said she pulled up 'acutely lame' after a fast gallop - 1,200 metres in 1:18.0, the final 400m in 22.0 - with stablemate Super Dana, at Sha Tin on Saturday.
'She worked strongly on Saturday morning but was acutely lame afterwards with a foot abscess,' Hayes said. 'We dug out the hoof and drained the abscess. It has been bandaged since then as a precaution against infection. She did miss her morning's work on Monday but that's all she's missed. She had a canter on Tuesday morning as scheduled and she was fine. This morning she worked a mile and home in about 27 seconds and I was happy with that.'
Hayes said it was lucky the abscess flared up when it did because it had time to settle down. 'This might be a mini drama and I wouldn't even call it that. It is definitely not something that has me seriously concerned.'
