LEG INJURY CASTS DOUBTS ON MAYBE BETTER
Andrew Eddy , "The Age ", 22 October, 2007

Andrew Eddy October 22, 2007

BRIAN Mayfield-Smith's 12-month plan to win this year's Melbourne Cup received a big blow yesterday when Maybe Better was found to have acute soreness in his off-fore fetlock.

Maybe Better, who ran third in last year's Melbourne Cup, disappointed on Saturday when ninth in the Caulfield Cup and faces an adjusted training program if he is to make the Melbourne Cup in 15 days, according to Mayfield-Smith.

"We'll examine him closely over the next few days and just adjust his training while there's some soreness there. He'd certainly want softer ground at Flemington," he said.

Mayfield-Smith said he would run Maybe Better in the Mackinnon Stakes three days before the Cup, on November 6, if his off-fore improved. "I wouldn't jeopardise the horse's welfare by going straight into a Melbourne Cup with him. You want to know how he is and so you've got to face up to reality and run him in the Mackinnon and know exactly where you are."

The Flemington trainer said the Caulfield track was too hard on Saturday and that he would be praying for rain before the Flemington carnival.

"I took two sound horses to the races yesterday and they both came home lame," he said. "Maybe Better in the off-fore and Cholula in the near-fore."