Great Chase Hero Sidelined With Injury

GREAT Chase hero Explicit will be sidelined for the next three months after sustaining a cracked metacarpal when scoring at The Meadows on Saturday night.

A son of Bernardo and Brueghelino, Explicit has launched his career in a flurry for trainer Jason Thompson, winning seven of his nine starts along with a further two seconds.

Included in that near faultless body of work was a recent Group 3 Great Chase victory at The Meadows in a flying 29.87, the scene of Saturday night's 3 ¾ length 29.89 romp.

"It's hard to tell exactly where he's done it in the run; you can usually see then duck in but he never really did,” Thompson said.

“By the time he got home that night he was already on three legs and he's still hobbling now.

"It's hard to say how much it cost him in the run but I know the dog and how strong he is and would have thought he would have got to the line better than he did.

cc: Phoenix slot holders

Explicit looks the real deal ???? pic.twitter.com/7IJzrUt3eG

— Melbourne Greyhounds – The Meadows (@MelbourneGreys) October 28, 2023

"It won't need an operation or anything; just a good three months to let the bone heal."

While a crack at the major spring races are off the table as is the Group 1 Silver Chief in December, Thompson is hopeful a return in early 2024 can result in a tilt at the lucrative Australian Cup carnival.

"By the time he returns he'll only have just turned two years of age," Thompson added.

"So I'd expect if anything for him to return even bigger and better with a big more age on him. He's a very exciting dog with it all ahead of him.

"A race like the Australian Cup at The Meadows should work in well."