A crushing defeat has left trainer Jeremy Scott feeling deflated, but he's determined to give his star mare Golden Ace the time she needs to recover.
After a shocking loss on Saturday, Scott is still processing the disappointment. Golden Ace, the Champion Hurdle winner, was expected to dominate in a Listed mares' contest, but she weakened in the closing stages, finishing a distant 28 lengths behind Kateira.
"I couldn't be more deflated," Scott admitted. He had prepared Golden Ace meticulously, scoping her days before the race, only to see her run a completely different race on the day. Her first run at Ascot last year, where she didn't feel quite right, was still better than this performance, leaving Scott confident that she was in top form.
But here's where it gets controversial... Scott believes they found the issue. Golden Ace scoped dirty after the race, with a lot of mucus but no blood. He doesn't think it's a virus, but rather her sensitivity that caused the problem.
"The main thing is she's okay," Scott reassured. Golden Ace is fine today, bucking and kicking in her pen, but she will be fully assessed by a vet in the coming days.
And this is the part most people miss... Scott plans to give Golden Ace ample time to recover, with no races scheduled before Christmas. He acknowledges that she had a tough race and always seems to bounce back better after the holidays.
"She's had a hard old race, so we'll give her time before running her again. There's not much for her in December, so we'll see how she goes. Getting her back to her best is the priority," Scott concluded.
So, what do you think? Is Scott's assessment of Golden Ace's performance and recovery plan spot-on, or is there more to uncover? Share your thoughts in the comments!
