“I was absolutely sick to my stomach dreading speaking to the boss (Brendan Keogh). I said, ‘Sorry boss, its a broken hock.’ He asked how the dog was and I said, ‘He is okay. According to the Nottingham vet, it doesn’t seem too bad, and we should get him back.’
“He said, ‘Don’t worry about it. He is a young dog. If ever there was a time for this to happen, it is now. Get the operation done, put him away for the winter and we’ll see where we are next year. Now don’t let it get to you. You have the rest of the litter to enjoy. Be careful how you drive home.'”
For a man who had just seen an amazing pup he had bred and reared break a hock when well on his way to a semi final victory in the British Breeders Stakes, assistant trainer Rab McNair, took the injury to King Sheeran with amazing fortitude.
He said: “”A couple of the guys at the bend actually heard the hock crack. I had just started to get excited. After he ran on so strong last week, I had just started thinking, ‘how far is he going to win by?’ when it all happened. He is off for an operation tomorrow.
“In many ways it is worse with a pup. When Eden The Kid broke his hock, I at least thought, ‘well we’ve had a good run and he has won plenty.’
“Speaking to Brendan made all the difference. He and Simon (Senyk) take all the pressure off. They are in the game for all the right reasons. They know there is no money in it, they are simply in it for the sport.
“I have no complaints about the track. Funnily enough, I thought it was in better shape than last week when they had bowser round when it was raining. It is just one of those things that happen in racing.”
The injury to King Sheeran occurred in the first semi. The race eventually went to Angie Kibble’s Let Me Tell You who clocked 30.11 (+20) when beating Down To The Felt by two and half lengths.
The second semi final went to John Mulllins’ Romeo Mandate. Eliminated in the semi finals a year ago, he came out the better of a tough duel with Bubbly Majestic. The 7-4f got home by a neck in 30.08 (+20).
The third semi also went to the Suffolk trainer courtesy of the 40 kilo Carn Brea. He escaped the worst of the trouble as middle seed Burton Lodge Bob swept across to rail at the first bend. The winner clocked 29.93 when beating Sheeran’s litter brother King Diamond by just under six lengths.
