Hukum back in training after injury break

Simon Milham
January 13, 2023 1:20 pm

Coronation Cup winner off the track since Epsom glory.

Coronation Cup winner Hukum will be kept in training, with a mid-summer return in mind for the lightly-raced six-year-old.

Hukum gave trainer Owen Burrows a first Group One success in June when landing the Epsom contest under Jim Crowley.

After beating Pyledriver, who had won the same prize in 2021, thoughts turned to a run in the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot.

⭐ Hukum ⭐
A dazzling winner of the Group 1 @DahlBury Coronation Cup at @EpsomRacecourse for @JimCrowley1978 and @ojburrows74 at @EpsomRacecourse pic.twitter.com/7ROC3sg2KS
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) June 3, 2022

However, those plans were short-lived. While Pyledriver took the King George, the Shadwell-owned horse required surgery on an injury picked up during his Epsom success, having been found lame when he returned to Farncombe Down Stables in Hungerford.

The injury, which required three screws inserted into a hind leg, has now healed and Hukum is likely race on in a bid to add to a tally of nine wins from 15 starts and earnings of over GBP 630,000.

Shadwell’s racing manager Angus Gold said of the six-time Group winner: “He has been back in training a while now, so as long as he stays in one piece, he will remain in training.

“There isn’t a plan. There is no point having a plan in January, as we don’t know if he will be sound in the middle of February.

“I would think he will be out from the middle of summer onwards. We need to take one step at a time with him. There is no point making a plan in case it all goes wrong.

“Hopefully we can stay on track.”