Muthabara suffers injury scare ahead of 1,000 Guineas @ Friday 2 May 2008, 08:47 PM

Muthabara, one of the leading hopes for Sunday's 1,000 Guineas at Newmarket, has suffered an 11th-hour injury scare.

The winner of the Fred Darling Stakes in April was reported to have been "slightly sore" after working with trainer John Dunlop on Friday morning.

But Dunlop still hopes his filly will run in the Classic, which takes place at 3.20pm on Sunday

"Muthabara pulled up slightly sore after exercise this morning and it proved that she has a small bruise on her near-fore foot," he said.

"I am hopeful that she will make a recovery prior to Sunday's 1,000 Guineas."

Muthabara is unbeaten in her three starts to date and is third favourite for the one-mile event.

Fifteen horses were declared at the 48-hour stage, with Natagora, trained by Pascal Bary in France, emerging as one of the leading fancies for the race.

Jockey Christophe Lemaire is confident of her ability to stay the distance after chalking up six wins from eight starts, including a victory in last year's Cheveley Park Stakes.

The Divine Light filly easily accounted for seven rivals when trying seven furlongs for the first time in the Prix Imprudence, and Lemaire has taken plenty of encouragement from that success.

He said: "She won quite easily and the good point is that we were behind the leader, the filly was very relaxed behind her and when I put her out and asked her to accelerate she did it very well.

"The trip was seven furlongs, one she had never tried before, she looked like she could go further so we were very happy."




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