Unbeaten speedster SERIOUS Object, who went within a whisker of the 350m track record at Goulburn last Friday, injured a metacarpal bone in the win and is in doubt for the heats of the group 3 Young Star Classic at Wentworth Park on October 10.
The metacarpal is the limb which connects the wrist to a dog's toes and trainer JODIE Lord is hoping SERIOUS Object can recover in time for the Young Star series.
When he led throughout at Goulburn, SERIOUS Object was having his first start since winning over 400m at Bulli in a sizzling 22.10 on June 3.
"He had been sidelined after tearing a groin muscle and it's tragic that he has had another interruption to his career,'' Lord said.
"Fingers crossed SERIOUS Object won't be out of action for too long but it is going to be touch and go whether he will be right for the Young Star heats.
"SERIOUS Object speared right off the course on the home turn at Goulburn and that's obviously where he incurred the metacarpal problem,'' Lord said.
"Despite losing the bend completely he still clocked 19.36, just .01sec outside the record set by Myrniong And All two years ago.
"There's no doubt SERIOUS Object was going to break the record only for the mishap.''
Lord, based at Gunning, is enjoying her best year and has chalked up 165 victories in 2020, closing in on her 179 wins for 2019 and within striking distance of the 190 successes she racked up in 2017.
Even without SERIOUS Object, Lord plans to have up to a dozen greyhounds lining up for the Young Star Classic series, which is open to greyhounds whelped on or after July 1, 2018.
"And there are a few other up-and-coming youngsters in my kennel who only need to string a couple of wins together between now and Classic heat time to earn nominations for the race.''
The Young Star Classic was first held in 1973 but was discontinued in 2009 before being re-launched in 2019 to coincide with the inaugural Million Dollar Chase.
Mark Bell, still a leading trainer, won the 2000 final with the great Go Wild Teddy, Appin trainer Mary Wright won with Eiffella in 2004, while John Finn, still riding the crest of a seemingly never-ending wave, scored in 1984 with Cindy Lass, in 2001 with Winsome Dollars and with Just Winsome four years later.
John Finn, who has been easily the most successful trainer in Young Star Classic history, is likely to be represented this year by Rhyme Not Reason, who scored his fourth Wentworth Pakr win in 10 starts on September 12.
Federal Lilly defeated Mottza and Irinka Lizzy in the 2018 Classic final with the JODIE Lord-trained Patient Vixen winding up in fifth position.
Lord got closer to a Young Star win last year when Electric Silk was a strong finishing second to Jet Jackson, trained by the late Troy Donaldson.
The Gunning trainer has had finalists in each of the re-vamped Young Star Classics, and is set to have her strongest representation in 2020.
