Overdose: set to continue career based in Germany with trainer

  PICTURE: Edward Whiatker  

Overdose set to follow trainer to Germany

Hungary: Unbeaten sprint sensation Overdose is set to move to Germany next month to join his trainer Sandor Ribarszki, who is quitting his native Hungary tobuild a new career abroad.

Ambitious plans for Overdose taking in top sprints across Europe were abandoned last season when he suffered an injury after taking his unbeaten record to 12 with an easy victory at Kincsem Park in Budapestin April.

Adding to the uncertainty over the four-year-old's future, his main owner Zoltan Mikoczy is imprisoned in Romania after being charged with theft.

Sandor Ribarzski and Overdose

  PICTURE: Neil Clark  

Last month Ribarszki,  eight times champion trainer in his home nation, announced his intention to train abroad - and Overdose, a national icon whoruns in the Hungarian flag colours of red,white and green, is set to follow him.

Ribarszki will move to his new base at Hoppegarten, near Berlin, in early December, and says his star horse will follow two weeks later.

"We will be taking about ten horses from Hungary with us in the first instance," Ribarszki said.

"The facilities at Hoppegarten are excellent and although things will be tough in Germany, I am looking forward to the new challenge."

Overdose returned to Ribarszki's stables at Dunakeszi, near Budapest on Friday night, having been stabled in a secret location since his return to Hungary from Britain earlier this month, where he spent time convalescing from injury at Amanda Perrett's yard at Pulborough.

"He's terrifically fresh and in tip-top condition," Ribarszki said. "He seems to have completely recovered and is no longer limping. He's being handled with great care."

Ribarszki also had information regarding Overdose's main owner Zoltan Mikoczy, who is serving a 17- month prison sentence in Romania, having been arrested last month and charged with theft.

"He isallowed to make five telephone calls and one is to me to ask about the condition of Overdose," said the trainer.

"He is under great pressure and we are worried about him having a heart attack. His appeal against his sentence is to be heard in December, he could be released or his sentence could be increased.

"The previous maximum punishment for the crime he is charged with is only five and half months, but he got 17 months. It was a big shock."

ENDS