Milldean Panther injured and out for the year

Milldean Panther: Will miss the rest of 2012 through injury

  PICTURE: STEVE NASH  

MILLDEAN PANTHER will not run in the Ladbrokes Irish Derby and will not race again this year. Instead he will be on stud duty until hopefully returning to the track next year.

The news, which had filtered through the greyhound world late on Thursday night, was confirmed yesterday morning by John O’Flynn Snr who reported that the dog “has an Achilles Tendon injury. We had him checked out yesterday and there is no way he would be right for the Derby. The good news is that it hasn’t gone up into the muscle but it would keep him out of action for a few months and the owners have decided that he will not race again this year and will instead go to stud for a while”.

Milldean Panther has established a huge reputation since he first appeared on the track. The son of College Causeway and Auld Nag commenced his career in sensational fashion by winning his first twelve races and all in red hot time.

In his ninth race he set a new Shelbourne record of 28.00 for the 525 yards in a semi-final of the Razldazl George Open 525. A week later he won the final in 28.08.