Ouija Board Doing Well

Ed Dunlop has delivered a positive bulletin on the injury-hit Ouija Board.

The Cape Cross filly made her seasonal reappearance in the Prince of Wales´s Stakes at Royal Ascot at York last month and it was later discovered that she had suffered a small stress fracture to her near-fore cannonbone.

Subsequent reports suggested that the four-year-old´s career was in the balance with her owner Lord Derby saying at the time he would not hesitate to retire her if there was any doubt about her welfare.

However, Dunlop´s charge was X-rayed again on Monday and the signs are that she is making progress.

Speaking on his website www.edunlop.com, the Newmarket-based trainer confirmed: 'We re X-rayed her left fore and were pleased to see there had been improvement.

'Both my vet Mike Shepherd and I were happy that she could start back in ridden exercise.

'She has, for the last three weeks, been swimming, spa-ing and horse-walking - so she hasn´t been totally standing still.

'The last week or so, she has thrived and has been beginning to come back to herself well.

'The plan is to walk and trot for several days and next Thursday she will have a bone scan on the leg.

'If the results of the bone scan suggest we can carry on, she will start back in cantering exercise.

'She was ridden on Tuesday just in the indoor ride and will remain there, certainly the rest of this week.'

? PA Sport