FORMER Group 3 champion Rainbow Comet showcased plenty of potential for the father-son trainer-driver combination of Leigh and Jake Davis before an injury kept him stuck in the paddock.
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Rainbow Comet was looking to build on a super two-year-old season, which included a G3 APG Gold 2YO Consolation win, before tendon concerns came into the picture.
The injury was severe enough to keep the promising runner out of the racing scene for more than 26 months.
But the wait ends this Wednesday night as the Grinfromeartoear horse, now five-years-old, lines up in the Vale AD Turnbull Pace (1,730 metres) at Bathurst Paceway.
Jake Davis said it's been a lengthy process making sure Rainbow Comet returns in strong condition.
"He did his tendon when he came back as a three-year-old so we've been giving him a really good rest after that. We got him back in once before this but we weren't sure how he would hold up so we put him out again," he said.
"He seems to be handling the work well so far and he's holding up. You obviously don't want to count your chickens too early but to get him back to the track after more than two years is pretty exciting. It's just great to see him back in full work."
It was just over half a year ago when the Davis' made their first attempt to bring Rainbow Comet back into work but it there was still too much risk in a full preparation at that stage.
He gets a great chance to feature prominently in Wednesday's comeback race with the gate two draw.
"Giving him more time looks to have been the right call. We've got the water walker and a swim now too at the stables. We just swam him a lot to take the pressure off that leg and it's got him fit enough to handle trackwork," Davis said.
"We though we had a really nice horse with him as a two-year-old ... but these things happen. Just to have him back racing is great. Hopefully he can continue on with his career because he had that potential as a young horse."
Rainbow Comet shares a grand dam, Hay Sharon, with the Davis stable's 2021 Gold Crown Silver Consolation winner Rainbow Titan.
Wednesday's racing at Bathurst Paceway starts from 5.07pm.
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