Injury Cuts Short Career Of ‘Freakish' Rejuvenate

IN a bitter blow for connections, track record breaking powerhouse Rejuvenate has officially run his last race.

Last seen when injuring himself in a heat of the Group 1 Brisbane Cup in June, Rejuvenate, a son of Hooked On Scotch and Zall Good, retires as the winner at 18 of his 26 career appearances.

Included in those performances was victory in the Group 3 Northern Districts Cup (450m) at Shepparton, the scene of his track record breaking effort when annexing the Shepparton Classic (450m) earlier this year, carving out a mind-boggling 24.59.

But it was his amazing 29.47 Group 1 Silver Chief heat victory at his The Meadows debut last December for owner-trainer Paul Brown which had the racing world instantly sit up and take notice.

"You can't help but think what might have been with him but that's racing, that's the game we are in," Paul Brown said.

“For everything he did the best was still ahead of him but sadly we won't get to see that now. He was just a freak, that's the best way to describe him.”

What a city debut ????

REJUVENATE has thrashed his rivals by almost 11 lengths in the second heat of the #SilverChief at @MelbourneGreys.

He will be tough to beat in next Saturday night's Group 1 final. pic.twitter.com/1o4ANllPAI

— WatchDog Racing (@WatchDogRacing) December 3, 2022

Prepared for the latter part of his career by Brooke and Jamie Ennis, until recently connections had held out hope of getting their superstar conveyance back to the track.

"When he came back from Brisbane, Brooke and Jamie were going to Fiji so he came home for a bit to get ready for the Nationals,” Brown said.

"In the second trial I gave him he broke his hock which was devastating.

"Des Fegan did the surgery and was positive that he could return to racing so we began on his rehab with that in mind while setting him up for stud at the same time."

A month or two into Rejuvenate's rehab, the hulking 38 kilo dynamo overdid things at home in the most innocuous of ways.

"The screw came loose one day and it pushed down into a couple of the lower bones in the hock," Brown said.

"So any chance of him racing again were dashed from there."

Blessed with ability few greyhounds can boast, Brown admits both for himself and parents Ian and Maureen Brown, there is a sense of what might have been.

"He got to show everyone what he was capable of but it would have been good to win that group 1," Brown said.

Running away with victory

REJUVENATE recovered from a moderate getaway to win by almost six lengths in the second heat of the Group 3 #NorthernDistrictsCup at Shepparton.

REJUVENATE has now won seven of his nine starts.#GreyhoundRacing pic.twitter.com/j1UYXwYL9B

— WatchDog Racing (@WatchDogRacing) November 10, 2022

"But that's racing and we are looking forward to giving him his chance at stud now. It's a competitive market but he's well bred, was an unbelievable chaser and the times he can run speak for themselves."

Included among the star sprinter's mesmerising times were 21.25 (385m) and 24.59 (TR, 450m) efforts at Shepparton, 24.80 (450m) at Ballarat, 25.36 (460m) at Warragul and 25.46 (460m) at Geelong.

And while recording a remarkable 29.47 at The Meadows, it was no flash in the pan, running 29.56 there also.

"You'd see the times he'd run in trials and just shake your head," Brown said.

"And just the ultimate competitor. All he wants to do his chase and go to the races.

“Hopefully breeders take a look at him this breeding season. He served a nice bitch in NSW this week so hopefully it's the start of a busy few months.”