By Michael Guerin<\/p>\n
Amid the shock loss of his superstar pacer Got The Chocolates from this year\u2019s New Zealand Cup there was a surprise moment of perspective for driver John Dunn on Saturday.<\/p>\n
The second favourite will miss the Cup and the rest of this year after being found to have a fractured sesamoid bone in his near hind leg on Friday night.<\/p>\n
The injury came as a total shock as Got The Chocolates, rated by many as the best pacer in New Zealand, had no taken a single sore step to indicate any issue.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe had been good as gold in his work this week and was actually getting ready for a solid workout down the beach today,\u201d said Dunn on Saturday.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut Jenna [John\u2019s wife and co-trainer] bought him in to wrap his legs on Friday night she found some swelling in his leg.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe had it x-rayed and they found the fracture.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut even this morning he is walking like he is perfectly sound. It is incredible.\u201d<\/p>\n
Dunn says the prognosis for sesamoid fractures tends to be positive and Team Dunn do not expect the injury to be career-threatening.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut we are thinking he will have at least four months out of work before we get started again on next year.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are having a round table meeting on Monday when it might be decided whether he is operated on or we just let it callus over.”<\/p>\n
Dunn said the team were trying to remain positive and a quiet moment with his uncle Henderson Hunter helped.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe were heading down to the beach this morning to work a couple of horses and he told me Trusty Scot [who Hunter trained] had the exact same injury after he raced in the Messenger as a four-year-old but came back two years later to win the New Zealand Cup as a six-year-old.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo yes, it is a real blow, but we are trying to remain positive.\u201d<\/p>\n
Got The Chocolates had been the second favourite for the New Zealand Cup at Addington on November 10 after a series of stunning wins at Alexandra Park in the autumn.<\/p>\n
Australian champion Leap To Fame is now the $2 favourite for the New Zealand Cup.<\/p>\n
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