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JUST days after partnering Sparking Success to a second Group win in three weeks at Melton, Chris Svanosio’s dream of representing Australia overseas is over for both trotter and driver.
Trainer John Meade advised Harness Racing Australia late on Monday his champion trotter has suffered a suspensory ligament injury and his future racing career is in doubt.
Sparkling Success had been due to fly out to New York later this week, via China and Alaska, on September en-route to challenging the world’s best trotters in the $1.3 million Yonkers International Trot in New York in October.
He was to be driven by Bendigo trainer-driver Svanosio, who has established a lucrative association with the six-year-old Meade-trained gelding.
Svanosio has driven Sparkling Success in each of his 22 past starts, dating back to July last year, for nine wins, including a pair of Group 1s in January.
The mare again struck top form with a dominant Maoris Idol Free For All win on Saturday, his second-straight win in four starts since returning from a five-month spell in early-August.
Svanosio told the Bendigo Advertiser on Sunday of his hopes for a competitive performance in the US.
“His last two runs have been great and he was better again on Saturday night, he did it terrifically,” he said.
“He was doing it pretty well at the finish.
“He only ever does what he has to to win, he doesn’t win by big margins, but that was enormous.”
The champion trotter’s past two wins have been at Group 2 and Group 3 level.