THE STORM INSIDE Photo by Stuart McCormick
A STUD career is being considered for injury-plagued pacer The Storm Inside.
Set to contest last Saturday night’s Ballarat Cup, The Storm Inside was scratched from the Group One after breaking his near-hind sesamoid.
Having rushed the stallion to the veterinary hospital, trainer Emma Stewart stated the priority is to save The Storm Inside’s life.
“Having him stabilised and saved was all we were concerned about,” Stewart said. “He is a wonderful horse to be around and keeping him around longer is all that matters.
“Even when he is back to full strength his racing are over and he will more than likely stand at stud.
“We’ve recently purchase the property next to ours and may even look at standing him there.”
Unbeaten from six two-year-old starts – including the Group One Australian Pacing Gold Final – The Storm Inside had his season, and almost his life, cut short.
After being rushed to the vet with a severe throat infection, the son of Rocknroll Hanover was found to have an absence in his lung.
“It was pretty scary at the time,” Stewart recalled. “We weren’t sure how things were going to end up with him.
“He was given a good break to make sure he was fully over it.”
To Stewart’s dismay, The Storm Inside’s return to racing was short-lived as the colt managed one three-year-old start – which he won – before suffering a leg injury.
Found to have fractured a cannon bone, The Storm Inside was again placed in a paddock to recover.
Fast forward 18 months and The Storm Inside was successful in four of his five comeback outings before again fracturing his cannon bone.
Sidelined for 13 months, the six-year-old had seven starts for five wins and a second leading up to his latest injury.
“As an early two-year-old we declared he was one out of the box and he could have been anything if it wasn’t for injury,” Stewart said.
“He had it all, speed, stamina and temperament…we just never got to see the best of him.
“Maybe one day will see his best come out in one of his foals.”
The Storm Inside is retired with 16 wins and two seconds from 19 starts for earnings of $311,125.
