TALENTED four-year-old pacer Melolyn will be forced to take a short break owing to a problem with his teeth.
Melolyn notched another impressive win last Sunday in Launceston, outgunning a quality line-up in the Launceston Veterinary Clinic Pace over 2200 metres.
“He has got a bone growing near one of his front molars that causes him to be a bit touchy so we’ll give him a little break while we get that taken out,” Ashwood said.
Melolyn has won seven from 14 starts and this latest victory was one of his best.
With Gareth Rattray aboard, Melolyn led all the way and what impressed was the way he fended off a serious challenge from eventual runner-up Dapper Dana that had big raps on him when he first arrived in Tasmania from New Zealand late last season.
Ashwood is unsure whether to keep the gelding racing in Tasmania and target the Raider Stakes at Devonport next year or test the water interstate with a stint of racing in Melbourne.
“I’d like to take him somewhere to teach him to be a horse,” Ashwood said.
“Whether that means taking him to Melbourne or staying here in Tasmania I’m not quite sure.”
“He is still only four and lightly raced so I don’t really want to throw him in at the deep end,” he said.