Burrows dealt Coronation damage blow to Hukum

Owen Burrows has been dealt a merciless blow after Hukum required surgical procedure on an damage picked up throughout his Coronation Cup victory, with the likelihood his secure star might have run his final race. 

Hukum is predicted to have the ability to return to motion later within the yr, however Burrows believes there’s a probability the Shadwell-owned five-year-old will now take up stallion duties.

It represents an enormous swing in fortunes for the Burrows secure, who went from the excessive of celebrating a primary Group 1 success at Epsom to the low of Hukum probably not racing once more.

The coach stated: “Sadly, he picked up an damage within the race and it wasn’t till we acquired again to the yard that he was lame. He needed to have surgical procedure on Saturday morning and had three screws put in a hind leg.

“It wouldn’t be career-ending, however there’s the prospect of him interesting as a stallion for in all probability the jumps.

“It’s too early to say whether or not that will likely be him completed and it’s not as if he couldn’t run once more, it simply relies on his restoration and what kind of curiosity there’s for him.”

Burrows had initially been left to contemplate extra lofty targets for Hukum, together with subsequent month’s King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot, after his dominant victory over final yr’s winner Pyledriver in Friday’s Coronation Cup.

Nonetheless, all plans have been positioned on maintain by Burrows and Shadwell’s racing supervisor Angus Gold till a choice is made on Hukum’s future.

“He’s going to must box-rest for a couple of weeks and he actually wouldn’t be again till late autumn on the earliest, however that’s a best-case situation it heals properly,” stated Burrows.

“It’s not as if it’s him fully completed, all of it relies upon actually. I used to be chatting with Angus yesterday and we are able to’t make any selections now; we’ll see how he mends and go from there.”

Final yr, Burrows was pressured to relocate to new premises with a considerably decreased workforce because of Shadwell’s cutbacks after the loss of life of Hamdan Al Maktoum.

Though not a personal coach for Shadwell, Burrows saved maintain of Hukum and took nice satisfaction within the six-time Group winner making his breakthrough on the highest degree.

“One minute I used to be floating residence from Epsom after which bang,” the coach stated. “I used to be 1 / 4 of an hour from getting again to the yard when my assistant rang me and it was slightly bit bittersweet.

“I’ve skilled numerous feelings on this recreation over time, however that may in all probability be up there. It’s gutting from a private and workforce standpoint, however I really feel very privileged to coach such horse and am so happy he was capable of lastly present what we felt he was able to.”  

Hukum, a year-older brother of Shadwell celebrity Baaeed, has gained 9 of his 15 begins and earned prize-money of greater than £630,000.