Track Debris Responsible For G1 Winners Absence

Starantes set for a racing return

Starantes is set to return to the track this weekend and trainer Robert Heathcote has revealed what has kept the 2022 Group One Tatts Tiara winner out of action since April when she was well beaten in The Archer.

"After the Archer, we got her back home, and her leg started to niggle and got a little bit of heat in it," Heathcote said.

"We didn't know what it was and neither did the vets.

"When we did scans, we found a blade of grass, a piece of track debris, had pushed into her leg.

"It had pushed under her skin and the skin had healed up but the foreign debris stayed there and that's how she got an infection.

"She then had a minor procedure to scrape the infection out."

Starantes is listed to run in the Group 2 Bobbie Lewis Quality (1200m) at Flemington on Saturday where Heathcote believes his Group One winner can rediscover her form back in Melbourne.

"I know she has come back well, she is in great order and she won her jumpout last Friday at Flemington," Heathcote said.

"I'm confident she is going to perform well wherever we go.”

Starantes hasn’t finished higher than seventh place since winning the Group One Tatts Tiara at the Brisbane Winter Carnival and now the injury has fully recovered the stable are looking for a big Spring with there sprinting stable star. 

After the final field was confirmed Starantes was listed as a $31 chance to win first up with the Jason Warren trained Bendetta a strong market favourite at $2.50.

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