The Queensland Oaks has been turned on its head with the scratching of favourite Fireburn.
Gary Portelli is taking the scratching of Queensland Oaks favourite Fireburn on the chin, despite his bitter disappointment at the filly’s withdrawal from the Group 1 race.
The 2022 Golden Slipper winner was ruled out on Thursday after Queensland Racing veterinarians found her to be lame during a routine pre-race inspection.
Portelli said Fireburn, who had not long arrived in Brisbane following a 12-hour float trip from Sydney, had atrophy in her pelvis region and took a while to warm into her normal stride.
“It’s just disappointing. She’s a horse that has got a funny gait when she first trots off,” Portelli said.
“Interpretation from vets, I can understand, they’re looking after the horse’s welfare and they think it’s lameness.
“But if you put a saddle on and she gets a thirty metre trot, by the time she’s gone thirty metres she’s trotting normally.
“We see that all the time from her and she trots out beautifully once she’s had that first little bit of a hiccup.”
Portelli did request stewards give Fireburn another 24 hours to prove her fitness but was told she needed to be withdrawn.
He is taking the decision in his stride and says his own vets will check Fireburn before he sends her for a spell with a view to the spring.
“I have to stick by the ruling and take it and we will get her home and regroup,” he said.
“I understand. They’ve seen her and they think she’s got a problem and everybody has to look after the welfare of the horse.
“I’d hate to force them to run her and have something happen.
“I asked if they could leave it until tomorrow just to be sure and if she was fully lame tomorrow in their opinion, we’d go with it. They were adamant I had to get her out.”
Fireburn was aiming to become just the third Golden Slipper-winning filly to train on to win a classic race.
In her absence, the Bjorn Baker-trained Renaissance Woman is the new $3.40 favourite, ahead of Australasian Oaks winner Affaire A Suivre ($4.80) and Sakura Girl ($9.50).