Topgun Winner To Return After Mystery Illness

REIGNING Topgun champ, Photo Man, makes his long awaited comeback to racing in a 5th Grade (515m) at Sandown Park on Thursday night.

He has not raced since November.

A mystery virus struck the son of Aston Dee Bee and Amlin Mystique and cousins Gavin Clifton and Dave MacKenzie battled for months in co-operation with the Sandown Vet Clinic's Alistair Smith to get him back to health.

FIELDS AND FORM SANDOWN PARK

“At one stage we left him at the clinic for several days on a drip in a bid to help him recover,” said Dave.

“Alistair admitted at one time the problem had him beaten.”

Photo Man lost weight and had little energy for months until Alistair and his treatment finally got him right.

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“He told us it would take months,” said Dave. “And it did.

“We would get blood tests done and then take him back a couple of weeks later and the bloods would be worse.”

It was not until late February, early March before Photo Man started to come good.

Gavin and Dave give him a chance of returning successfully after recent trials.

He has been done no favours with such class acts as WA superstar, Krystal Shinners' Electrified, and Anthony Azzopardi's flyer Adhana Rico, recent Geelong Cup finalist, up against him on Thursday night.

“He's drawn well in the three and his past few trials have shown he is back to somewhere near his best,” said Dave.

“If he can lead around the first turn, he can be hard to beat.

“It has taken a long time to get hit fitness level right.”

Photo Man has raced 35 times for 13 wins and 14 placings earning $419,000.

He is also the winner of the G2 Flying Amy Classic and was third in the G1 Brisbane Cup and G1 Adelaide Cup.

The dog is on trial for another Brisbane Winter Carnival campaign.

“If all goes well, we could head back to Brisbane with him,” said Dave.

“But he will need to get back to his best.”

Future plans for him include a stud career.

“We have drawn some semen and even mated one of our own bitches with him,” said Dave.

“There have been quite a few inquiries for him at stud.”