Jukebox Jury on the mend

By Robert Windmill

MELBOURNE, Dec 7 AAP - Melbourne Cup casualty Jukebox Jury is on track to make a full recovery from a leg fracture and leave Australia as early as the end of next month.

The highly-rated international stayer had scans late last week which showed the hairline fracture of his near-fore cannon bone was on the mend.

His lameness has already disappeared fuelling hopes that he could yet get back to England in time to enter training for the Ascot Gold Cup in June.

"All is going really well," part-owner Colleen Bamford said.

"He is a really good patient and is showing no signs of any lameness so at this stage it looks like it is healing.

"We really do expect him to make a full recovery. He looks terrific."

Jukebox Jury was the highest-rated stayer among a record number of internationals in this year's Melbourne Cup but limped off the track after faltering in the last 350 metres and finishing 20th to French stayer Dunaden in the 23-horse field.

With his leg heavily bandaged from hoof to knee, the grey remains confined to a stable at Colleen and Kevin Bamford's Doreen property about 20km northeast of Melbourne.

The Bamfords, who also share ownership of the 2010 Melbourne Cup winner Americain, bought into Jukebox Jury after he won the Prix Kergorlay in France in August.

Jukebox Jury has been under the care of prominent vet Dr Alastair MacLean and it is hoped that by the end of the month the entire will no longer need his leg bandaged twice a week and can be moved to the approved quarantine area of the property.

"We are X-raying his leg every two weeks and just waiting on the advice of vets when they think we can stop bandaging him," Bamford said.

"I would imagine he could be another three weeks in the box and I think he then needs to be 30 days in quarantine before he can go back to England."

Jukebox Jury has won nine of his 22 starts and dead-heated in the Irish St Leger after his Prix Kergorlay win leading up to the Melbourne Cup.

English trainer Mark Johnston has been updated about Jukebox Jury's progress and is encouraged by the scans and veterinary reports sent to him.

He told the UK's Daily Mail this week it would be a rush to get Jukebox Jury ready for the Ascot Gold Cup but the option was still alive and that he was hoping to plan another Melbourne Cup assault with him next year.

"The reports are good and he should be home by the end of January," Johnston said.

"The Ascot Gold Cup is in our minds but you couldn't go straight there so we can't say he'll definitely make it.

"The long-term plan is the Melbourne Cup again next year."

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