‘Big blow’ for Teal team with Oxted ruled out for season

Roger Teal says losing King’s Stand winner Oxted to a season-ending tendon injury is a “big blow” for his team.

Teal’s stable star has not made it to the track since July last year after undergoing surgery on his knee before a further setback last month ruled the six-year-old out of an intended run in the 1895 Duke Of York Stakes.

Having started to build up his fitness ahead of Royal Ascot next month, Oxted reportedly took a “bad step” while taking part in a routine piece of work at home and a subsequent scan revealed a potentially serious problem.

“We’ve decided to call it quits for the season,” Teal told Sky Sports Racing. “We had him re-scanned and it’s not serious but if we carry on it will make it serious. We’ll back off him and let time do the healing to hopefully bring him back as a fresh horse next year.

“He had a knee chip, which we had removed, and he’d been moving absolutely brilliantly. He was just doing a routine canter and Harry [Roger’s son and assistant trainer] said he just took a bad step.

“We’ve got to do what we can to help him with plenty of ice and water treadmills.

“The ones that do more for you always go wrong because they enjoy what they do.

“It’s a big blow for our yard but hopefully we’ll find another one.”

There was some reason to cheer for the Teal family at Windsor on Monday as 11/5 favourite Panama toughed it out to win the British Stallion Studs EBF Restricted Novice Stakes.

The son of Havana Grey, owned by Roger’s wife Sue, was third on debut at Bath earlier this month and came through the field under rider Jack Mitchell to beat Mick Channon’s Betweenthesticks and Rod Millman’s Raducanu.

Asked if Panama would be sold after his win, Sue Teal told Sky Sports Racing: “No, he’s mine. He’s a bit of a baby still but he’ll come on for that.

“We’ve had a bit of a tough time over the last few weeks but hopefully we’ve turned a corner.”