Mister Mullet returns after 8 months off the scene
The old saying of being too fast for your own good has certainly rung true with Mister Mullet, with the Jan 19’ whelping, having just his sixth career start this Tuesday at the Murray Bridge straight. His debut run saw him net a flying 9.93-22.06 all the way victory at Angle Park (old), but that came at no surprise to his trainer Alan Mcculloch. “His trials before his maiden were flying.”
After running a hot time on debut and making a name for himself, the issues started and the continual fight to keep him on the track began “He had a stress fracture in his scapula and that put him out of action for 6 weeks. It healed up okay but then he had a stress fracture of his metacarpal, which again we fixed up okay.”
Mister Mullet (Kennel name - Mullet) was able to race sparingly throughout his first preparation, after dealing with the issues, but they were not over yet. “He then had a stress fracture in the T4 bone in his hock, again got that fixed up. Luckily we caught these injuries and treated them.”
Mullet, which is named after the fish, looked set to come back to the track, before another injury struck him down. “So we got all the stress fractures ironed out, but back in May I gave him a couple of runs around Gawler and he went well, but then pulled up with a tear in his stopper bone tendon.”
“That’s probably been the worst one, that’s why he hasn't run for the last few months. It’s a bit of an ugly one. ”Another setback, but Alan was determined to get him back to the track, so went about fixing him up.
“We did an unorthodox treatment, we didn’t rest him and just kept running him on it up the straight track, so as it healed their was still mobility and stretch in it.”
“It looks a bit ugly, but he seems to be running up the straight okay.”
As the Mullet had been out for over 6 months, he had to do a satisfactory trial, which he did in outstanding fashion. “I took him to Murray Bridge a couple weeks ago to do it and he ran a pretty quick time (16.44). It was his first trial for four months.”
This Tuesday’s race has brought together a strong field, with Mullet needing to be on song if he is to come back a winner. “I’ve given him a fortnight to get over it and I continue to treat it (the stopper) all the time.”
“We’ll see how he goes, hopefully he can get up there without anything happening. Hopefully box 1 is an asset to him, he went 4.45 early when he trialled which is not too bad.”
Whilst the race on Tuesday will have plenty of meaning behind it, like many others, we will be hoping that Mister Mullet can stay sound and that we can see the best of him.
Alan’s closing comments described Mister Mullet simply. “He’s a fascinating dog, he’s very very fast.”
Photo: Alan at home with Mullet