Sound Sainthood back in Southern Cross Stakes

By Mandy Cottell

SYDNEY, Feb 23 AAP - Soundness issues have plagued Sainthood throughout his career but trainer Rick Worthington has made some key changes to help combat them.

The gelding will resume from a nine-month layoff in Saturday's Group Three Southern Cross Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill.

It will be his first run since a two-start Queensland campaign in which he wrenched a joint when fifth in the Prime Minister's Cup at the Gold Coast then beat one rival home in Doomben's BRC Sprint in May.

"We thought he was okay when he raced at Doomben. The vets had given him the green light but clearly he wasn't okay," Worthington said.

"I aborted his campaign and brought him back and had him thoroughly investigated.

"As a result of wrenching the joint he had also dome some damage to the joint."

Sainthood underwent arthroscopic surgery and Worthington gave him a six-month spell to recover.

While the joint has healed, Sainthood still has to be carefully managed.

Like stablemate Whitefriars, he suffers from a condition which results in bone soreness meaning his capacity to handle a big workload is limited.

"Whitefriars has taught me that the key with it is to not allow them to get to that certain point where the bone soreness dulls their performance," Worthington said.

"Because of that I'm training him a bit differently."

Worthington hopes the adjustments he has made help the dual Listed winner recapture his best form.

Sainthood has never won first-up and while Worthington doesn't expect that to change against the likes of Secret Admirer and Neeson on Saturday, he hopes to see Sainthood doing his best work late.

"Traditionally, Sainthood has trialled well then tapered off," Worthington said.

"I'm hoping with the combination of a long spell, the arthroscopic surgery and the management procedures we've put in place, along with a different approach to training him, that that won't happen this time.

"At the moment he is happy and healthy and if a horse with ability is happy and healthy they usually perform well."

While Worthington is looking forward to Sainthood's return, plans for Whitefriars have been put on hold.

The six-year-old, who hasn't raced since winning the Group Two Australia Stakes at Moonee Valley in January last year, was being prepared for an autumn campaign.

But Worthington said Whitefriars had suffered a setback and was undergoing a thorough veterinary examination, the results of which should be known next week.

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