Races

Scales Of Justice Set for Return

Scales Of Justice is a step closer to making his much-anticipated return to racing after completing an impressive trial work out at Belmont on Monday.

Trainer Lindsey Smith has earmarked the Group 2 Lee Steere Stakes (1400m) at Ascot on November 10 as the first-up run for Scales Of Justice.

The Not A Single Doubt entire has not raced since finishing 12th to Great Shot in last year’s Group 1 Railway Stakes (1600m), a race he won in 2016.

A winner of close to $1.5 million in stake earnings from his 19 starts, Scales Of Justice’s comeback to racing has been delayed due to spinal surgery.

Scale Of Justice had been affected by back problems after finishing runner-up to Redkirk Warrior in the Group 2 Bobby Lewis Quality (1200m) at Flemington last September, his first interstate appearance.

X-rays in July revealed Scales Of Justice to be suffering from ‘kissing spine’, a condition in which two or more of the flanges of bone sticking up from the vertebrae are positioned so that they touch or rub against each other.

But in a major confidence boost for Smith and owner Chris Wells, Scales Of Justice appears to have shrugged of his injury complaint and looks well placed to mark his return to competitive racing after two excellent trials.

Backing up his trial victory at Lark Hill a fortnight ago, Scales Of Justice, settled last and charged home strongly for Mitchell Pateman under little pressure to run 1 ¾ lengths second to Belter over 1000m at Belmont today.

“It was really good,” Wells said.

“He settled well back and he was never really asked to do too much.

“But he made up a lot of ground on Belter, so that was a pretty good effort.

“He has done a lot of work since the last trial when he was fresh.

“He seemed to cover the ground well and the jockey was happy.

“He has been off for a year so there were a few nerves.

“But his action looks good and he wants to race.

“I’m looking forward to the Lee Steere Stakes in a couple of weeks.”