QUALITY Tasmanian-owned free-for-all pacer Left Loaded has been forced into retirement as a result of a leg injury.
Left Loaded was being touted as a Grand Circuit prospect this season but after finishing second at his last start at Menangle in a Free-For-All over 1690 metres the gelding ruptured a tendon that has since been deemed incurable for racing.
Left Loaded, owned and bred by Steve Lukac at Oatlands, has been in the care of top NSW trainer Darren Hancock for the past year during which time he won five races at Menangle and clocked some sizzling times in good races.
The Fully Loaded gelding produced a career best mile rate of 1.52.5 in winning at Menangle three starts back at the end of July.
The gelding raced against top opposition and was second, beaten a half-head by Gaius Caesar in the Group 1 Bohemian Crystal at Menangle in March.
Left Loaded was a star juvenile in Tasmania winning the $25,000 Betfair Sweepstakes Classic at two and at the end of that season he had won two and been placed five times from seven outings.
The following season he won the $10,000 Prince of Pace and ended his three-year-old season as a winner of three races and placed twice from seven starts.
Listen to what owner-breeder Steve Lukac had to say about the loss of his talented pacer Left Loaded. Click on the audio file below.