Back in the game! Born To Run resumes canters

BORN TO RUN has been back cantering this week following a fortnight of box rest and a period restricted to trotting.

The splint that she suffered will have no long-term effect on her racing career, and after being treated with bute to ease the pain, the tenderness in the leg has gone.  "She got a little bit impatient about not being able to get out but she has such a good temperament that there were no major problems," her trainer Hugo Palmer says.

Palmer is confident the  "slight setback" will cause no delay to her racecourse debut, which could be as early as May. "Young horses always pick up little niggles and it is better they happen in January when they are still quite some time away from the racecourse," he says.

Born To Run is now cantering upsides another two-year-old at Newmarket, the theory being that it is important that juveniles get used to being close to other horses. Hence the racecourse action will not be quite such a shock.

The serious work will be stepped up in early May. And then the clues as to her ability will start to emerge.