ONE of this season’s brightest staying prospects The Cleaner has had surgery to remove a bone chip in his nearside front fetlock.
The Cleaner won six and was placed second from eight starts over distances ranging from 1600m to 2100m and was being aimed at the AAMI Hobart and Launceston Cups.
The Mick Burles-trained gelding was winning races with the bone chip present in the fetlock but the trainer said it (chip) only became an aggravation to the horse in the Devonport Cup in which he finished last.
“I was aware of the chip but in the early races it was causing no concern to the horse but it did in the Devonport Cup,” Burles said.
“After that race I sent him straight to Melbourne where Dr Alistair McLean performed the surgery to remove the chip and he said it was 100 per cent successful and that the horse should definitely be back racing after a spell in the paddock.”
“I plan to keep him in the paddock until the end of April and bring him back for one or two races over a mile (1600m) here in Tassie before taking him to Melbourne.”
“I reckon the horse has grown half-a-hand since he’s been in the paddock at Aceland Stud at Whitemore,” he said.