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Ouija Board & the Group 1 Hong Kong Vase

                                                                             December 2005

Ouija Board, the Ed Dunlop trained filly, rounded off her 2005 campaign with an impressive win at Sha Tin racetrack, despite her suffering with career threatening injuries earlier in the year.

In Hong Kong, the 2004 BHB Racehorse of the Year was reunited with her dual Oaks winning jockey, Kieren Fallon, who brought her from the back, through the pack in the home straight to win by two and three-quarter lengths. "I've ridden some seriously good fillies like Bosra Sham and Islington and on this evidence she must be right up there with them," said Fallon.

The four-year-old Cape Cross filly spent the majority of the UK summer in recovery from throwing a splint and later from a small stress fracture to her near fore cannon-bone. However, with the Gainsborough Stables first class facilities, including an ECB Equine Spa, her fitness was not compromised. Mr Dunlop commented on her treatments in July:  “[Ouija Board] has been swimming, spa-ing and horse-walking - so she hasn't been totally standing still”.

Dunlop praised the patience and faith of owner Lord Derby for allowing him to carry on with her after the opening months of her campaign were blighted by injury problems. Lord Derby told the Racing Post after it was decided to keep her in training: "Luckily, (trainer) Ed Dunlop has some superb facilities at his Stables, including a spa and swimming pool. These facilities, along with his wonderful staff, will help speed her recovery."

Since her injuries, she made an impact in September with an impressive comeback victory at Newmarket; then performed with credit with a second place in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf; and then fifth of 18 in a hot renewal of the Japan Cup; all before her trip to Hong Kong.

However, during her roller coaster of a season, the brilliance that Lord Derby’s filly emulates was not forgotten with the race-caller shouting as Ouija Board swept to the front: “Cheer one of the great fillies,” as the crowd erupted at the close of the 2005 Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Vase.

Dunlop said: “We had a really difficult first half of the season with her and it has been a great team effort to get her back on course

“This has made it all worthwhile to keep her going. There’s no specific plan for her at the moment but I would think it is unlikely that she will be retired just yet.”

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