Group winner Ottoman Emperor in Australia to continue injury rehabilitation

European Group winner Ottoman Emperor has arrived in Australia as he continues his rehabilitation from injury.

The winner of the Gordon Stakes at Goodwood when trained in Ireland by Johnny Murtagh, Ottoman Emperor injured his tendon in finishing last in the 2021 St Leger at Doncaster behind Hurricane Lane.

OTI Racing managing director Terry Henderson revealed that the northern hemisphere-bred four-year-old exited post-arrival quarantine this week.

“Now that he's exited quarantine, he has gone to Matty Williams and we will see how we go with him,” Henderson told Racing.com.

“He’s down there initially, just to continue his rehabilitation down on the beach [at Warrnambool], but he might stay down there because Matty does a good job. He’s an extremely good trainer as we all know. He is a serious horse if we can get him back to his best form.”

Ottoman Emperor was purchased privately by Henderson after second placings in two barrier trials at Dundalk over six furlongs and seven furlongs in the second half of 2020.

Bred by Castletown and Minch Bloodstock, Ottoman Emperor sold to Leamore Horses from Brenda Shortt Bloodstock for €7,500 at the Goffs February Sale in 2019.

The colt is the first foal out of the winning Tertullian mare Ibiza Empress, a half-sister to the Group 3-placed Pleasant Surprise and from the family of German 2,000 Guineas and Hong Kong Group 2 winner Irian, also a close second to Snow Fairy in the Hong Kong Cup in 2010.

He won four of his six starts for the Murtagh yard, highlighted by his Group 3 strike at Glorious Goodwood under Ben Coen.

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