Axel Footluce Eyes Golden Gawler Return

GROUP 1 National Derby winner Axel Footluce will look to cap off a remarkable return to racing when he lines up from box one in Sunday's Group 3 Gawler Gold Cup Final (531m).

Back in April, the son of Kinloch Brae was relegated to the sidelines for almost five months after suffering a broken leg en route to a stylish 29.50 Sandown Park victory for then trainer Jeff Britton.

Returning home to his SA-owner Ken Trowbridge to recuperate, Axel Footluce returned to the winner's list for the first time since April in Tuesday's Gawler Cup heats, registering a best of meeting 30.63 – his seventh start back from injury.

But the news wasn't near as good for Axel Footluce's litter-brother Jack Get Back, the 18-race winner suffering what appears to be a career ending injury in Tuesday's slick 30.70 heat success.

"It's a bit early to be sure but it doesn't look good – it's likely career ending," Trowbridge told the Recorder on Thursday.

"It's a bone fracture of the stopper which is as bad as it gets. The X-Ray didn't show it up properly so we're getting a CT-scan today (Thursday). You can only imagine he's done it turning for home or pulling up on the lure … he can't have done it earlier with the way he went.

"It's bruised right up now; we'll just have to wait and see."

Jack Get Back's scratching from Sunday's $26,000 to-the-winner Gawler Cup opens the door for the Ben Rawlings-trained Kisses For Cloda to gain a start from box six, Rawlings now boasting two runners courtesy of smart 30.73 heat winner Alpha Aion (box three).

And while bitterly disappointed with the news of Jack Get Back's potential career ending injury, Trowbridge is trying to remain as upbeat as possible heading into Sunday's finale, represented by comeback galloper Axel Footluce from the coveted rails alley.

"It was great to see him win," Trowbridge said.

"He's had a lot of issues. When he got injured in Melbourne it was a compound fracture to the top of the fibula where the bone meets. It's very rare.

"He spent the best part of five months at home on the couch and had the magnetic field on him for an hour each morning and night. He had lots of stretching with plenty of TLC and rest … it's been a long road back."

Using plenty of track sense to land his cup heat from box seven in a slick 30.63, Axel Footluce held off a fast finishing Awesome Catch by a length, a performance that saw the son of Fabregas shoot to favouritism for Sunday's final.

Lining up for a fifth group race final on Sunday, Axel Footluce will have the aid of box one, a draw he's won from at four of five occasions.

"Luckily I've been trialling him from the inside because he's been drawing out wide in his races lately," Trowbridge said.

"At his first few runs back from injury I was getting worried that he might not have come back anywhere near as good as what he was. Some races under his belt though has brought him on with fitness and confidence.

"Box one on Sunday is a big help. I trialled him out of the red before his heat and he went good.

"He'll need to lead Awesome Catch to be a chance of winning I'd say. He's come through Tuesday's run well and the back up on Sunday won't worry him at all – he's good to go."

Early favourite for Sunday's final is the Rob Camilleri-trained Awesome Catch at $2.60 ahead of Axel Footluce at $4.20.

Third favourite is the Janice Jones-trained Star Anise, currently a $4.80 chance from box eight.