Five Star Out Of Zoom Top, Career In The Balance

TOP class Victorian stayer Five Star, on target for the Group 1 Zoom Top coming up at The Meadows, broke his hock in a Geelong trial last night.

TOP class Victorian stayer Five Star, on target for the Group 1 Zoom Top next month at The Meadows, broke his hock in a Geelong trial on Tuesday night.

Trainer Paul Abela had declared Five Star (Fernando Bale-Got One Back) had returned to racing following a spell following a slight muscle tear better than ever.

“I'm shattered,” said Paul. “But that is nothing compared with the Parker Boys who bred him, reared him and owned him.”

Five Star has won 17 of his 41 starts and earned $167,000 with victories in the Group 3 Speed Star, Pink Diamond Distance and Cup Night Stayers and he has been a Group 1 finalist in the Queensland Cup and three other Group finals.

“He is being operated on as we speak,” said Paul.

“Des Fagan is doing the operation and while we will try to get him back, if that doesn't work out he will have a great life.”

Five Star had won eight of his latest 10 outings and Abela was confident this would be his best campaign.

“He went to Ballarat first up and ran 30.34 when the record is 30.31,” he said.

“I decided to put him around Geelong for a trial in preparation for a race at Sandown on Sunday because it is a racetrack and they are safest.

“The boys (the Parker brothers) are feeling it hard,” said Paul. “When it comes to the dog's welfare, everything is being done for him.”

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