Mister Versace has been racing in considerably stronger company.
Colin Belton has two metal plates and eight pins in his right leg and walks with a slight limp. But he has no hard feelings towards four-year-old Mister Versace, who sent him crashing into a fence at the family property in Banjup last September.
“I forgive him now, the way he’s going,” said Belton, husband of Annie Belton, who trains Mister Versace, who has blossomed after the terrible track accident almost seven months ago, with his 14 starts since then producing four wins, three seconds and one third for stakes of $28,995.
And now the Beltons have high hopes that Mister Versace will maintain his excellent form and win the $18,500 www.gloucesterpark.com.au Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
The WA-bred Mister Versace, purchased as a yearling for $19,000, will be driven by Kim Prentice from the inside of the back line. “He has drawn behind October Brown, a smart beginner and good frontrunner,” said Colin Belton. “He should have a soft run and, hopefully, Kim will be able to get him into the clear at the right time.”
Mister Versace has been racing in considerably stronger company and should enjoy a drop in class this week. Three starts ago he led from barrier four and won from Americanbootscoota and Military Master, rating 1.56.1 over 2130m at Gloucester Park. That followed his strong finishing effort to be fourth behind Bettor Reward and Sprinter in the Four and Five-Year-Old Championship at Bunbury’s Donaldson Park.
He has no luck at his past two outings. He raced three back on the pegs and was blocked for a clear run in the final stages when sixth behind Kiwi Legend in the group 3 Four and Five-Year-Old Championship at Gloucester Park last Friday week.
Then, last Friday night he raced in sixth place in the one-wide line before he was hampered and lost about three lengths when shuffled back at the 700m mark behind the tiring Debt Free Charlie in the Westbred final. He then fought on gamely to be fourth behind Hot Fraternity.
Belton explained what happened on the fateful day in September, saying: “Mister Versace was the last horse to be worked on our track that day, and we were on the final lap when a bird suddenly flew in front of us. He took fright and jumped left and took me with him.
“The cart got stuck in the fence. I was holding on for dear life, but I couldn’t hold him and he took off, with my leg still caught in the fence. He jumped the fence and dashed down Liddelow Road before being caught, unharmed, near the Jandakot track.
“I was lying in the sand for 40 minutes and I knew that there was something wrong when I stood up and started hyper-ventilating. I knew I was in shock. Finally, the next door neighbour found me and I was taken to hospital where I asked a nurse if she could see anything. She said ‘it doesn’t look very good.’
“There was a spiral fracture in the right shinbone and now I have two plates and eight pins in the leg, and they’re going to be there forever. It was a bit of a setback and I was unable to work for six months. But Mister Versace has made up for it and is doing really well.”
A sympathetic Annie Belton said that Mister Versace was an extremely docile horse and the accident was no fault of his, or of Colin.
Meanwhile, Annie Belton has stable star Mister Jadore back in work and she is hopeful that the $17,000 yearling who has earned $267,889 from 12 wins and ten placings from 27 starts will be able to make a successful comeback after suffering a severely damaged tendon more than two years ago.
“He’s a pet and I have taken my time with him,” she said.
