Federal Lilly Ruled Out Of Sapphire

GOLDEN Easter Egg runner-up Federal Lilly, a notable absentee from Saturday night's Group 3 Ladies Bracelet heats, will miss at least four to six weeks with injury.

"She will definitely miss the Sapphire Crown at Sandown," said a despondent Peter Lagogiane on Friday.

Winner of 14 races and a courageous second to Zipping Bailey in the Group 1 Golden Easter Egg Final at Wentworth Park on Easter Saturday, Lagogiane told the Recorder that the daughter of Dyna Double One injured herself in a trial at Richmond earlier this week.

"She's basically lifted the back muscle off the bone, it's not good," explained Lagogiane.

"I was giving her a bit of a break after the Easter Egg final but she was feeling so good at home, tearing up and down the runs, I decided to take her over for a trial at Richmond and that's when she's done it.

“I've had her to Matt Kwong and he thinks four weeks of doing no work at all should see it mend. Then we'll have to start all over again, it's been a flat old week, the highs and lows of racing."

While understandably downcast given Federal Lilly's confinement to the sidelines, the Llandilo conditioner said Friday morning's news of Zipping Garth's career ending injury put things firmly into perspective.

"I'm gutted for Jason (Mackay) and the Hallinans," said Lagogiane.

"I was lost for words when I heard the news, he was a special dog on the track and it just reminds you the ups and downs we face in this game. I really do feel for them, terrible news."