Bendigo trainer Shaun Dwyer reports Villa Verde has recovered well from a respiratory complaint and will be given three runs during the upcoming Melbourne spring carnival.
Villa Verde won her first two starts, both at listed level in Melbourne, before suffering three straight defeats during the Sydney autumn carnival; Reisling Stakes (second), Golden Slipper (seventh) and ATC Sires’ Produce (eleventh).
“During the autumn she had an asthma type allergy,” Dwyer said. He later described Villa Verde as suffering from “respiratory inflammation”.
“We thought we had it under control and decided to press on but we didn’t.
“The medication we were giving her was masking the problem and once she came off the medication the problem reared its head.
“She’s come back from a lengthy spell and during that she’s had a few tests to make sure everything was good.
“The most recent test was about eight weeks ago and everything was very positive. Her respiratory system looked quite good, her inflammation had gone.
“The testing time will come once we step her work up but the vets are confident she’ll be alright,” he added.
Dwyer says Villa Verde has been back trotting and cantering under saddle for the past four weeks and will return to racing in late September.
He has identified a 1000-metre three-year-old race at Caulfield on September 21 and the Group 3 Champagne Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley on September 27 as a possible starting point for the daughter of Not a Single Doubt.
Dwyer will then give her one more start, possibly in the Group 3 Thoroughbred Club Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on October 12, before contesting the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) at Flemington on November 2.
“The autumn in Sydney was very disappointing for everybody concerned and we just want to make sure she’s back on track,” Dwyer said.
“She was thereabouts amongst the best horses in the country for her age group last season.”
Villa Verde has raced five times for two wins with prizemoney standing at $270,000.
– TVN
