Healing Hands banned after bleeding attack

The disappointment of Healing Hands’ inglorious display as favourite in the Highway Handicap has been tempered by the later discovery he had bled.

Mudgee trainer Gayna Williams was literally on the highway home from Randwick on Saturday when she looked at Healing Hands in the float and discovered he had blood in both nostrils.

She immediately rang Racing NSW chief steward Marc Van Gestel to report the incident which means the horse incurs an automatic three-month ban from racing.

Ridden by Greg Ryan, the state’s leading rider this season, Healing Hands was sent out at $2.90 but never looked like winning, finishing ninth of the 12 runners.

The 1100m-race was won by the Kurt Goldman-trained Irish Songs from Goulburn.