Trainer Pat Cannon has had a long career in the thoroughbred industry but now has only one horse in work.
That horse is Shultzy who was scratched from a race at Geelong on Wednesday and is set to run in the Listed R M Ansett Classic (2400m) at Mornington on Saturday.
Shultzy has been a mainstay of the Cannon team, joining the stable as a two-year-old and now as a 65-start nine-time winner, with a further 10 seconds, he is a nine-year-old and still racing as well as ever.
Cannon puts Shulltzy’s longevity down to ‘knowing’ his horse.
“He’s been sensational for me,” Cannon said.
“I got him as an early two-year-old and he’s nine now, so he’s been around the stables for a long time.
“I think being spoilt is one thing as to his longevity, but when you’re a small trainer, I just know him inside and out.
“When he’s sore, I know when he’s feeling something and we usually work on it.
“He is a high energy horse but doesn’t need the hard work and the vets and farriers have had a lot to do with his longevity because he’s got kissing-spine.
“We haven’t had to operate on it, we’ve been able to treat it.
“In the middle of his prep, he was missing the kick by a long way, and that was because of the kissing-spine, which was enough to stop him jumping.
“When they power off, that’s when it really hurts them.”
Shultzy lumped 60kg to victory at Sandown in July and was a last start second to the promising Leonchroi, an opponent on Saturday, at Sandown on September 2.
Earlier in the preparation he stretched Nearco Frod who would later go on to win at Flemington in early August before pulling up with EIPH when last in The Archer at Flemington on September 12.
“Leonchroi is more effective on the firmer deck than we are, but we’ve sparred with him a couple of times and also with Nearco Frod, and once he should have beaten him,” Cannon said.
“The form all around him is good, so here’s hoping on Saturday.”
