Got The Chocolates out for rest of 2026

By Michael Guerin

Amid the shock loss of his superstar pacer Got The Chocolates from this year’s New Zealand Cup there was a surprise moment of perspective for driver John Dunn on Saturday.

The second favourite will miss the Cup and the rest of this year after being found to have a fractured sesamoid bone in his near hind leg on Friday night.

The injury came as a total shock as Got The Chocolates, rated by many as the best pacer in New Zealand, had no taken a single sore step to indicate any issue.

“He had been good as gold in his work this week and was actually getting ready for a solid workout down the beach today,” said Dunn on Saturday.

“But Jenna [John’s wife and co-trainer] bought him in to wrap his legs on Friday night she found some swelling in his leg.

“We had it x-rayed and they found the fracture.

“But even this morning he is walking like he is perfectly sound. It is incredible.”

Dunn says the prognosis for sesamoid fractures tends to be positive and Team Dunn do not expect the injury to be career-threatening.

“But we are thinking he will have at least four months out of work before we get started again on next year.

“We are having a round table meeting on Monday when it might be decided whether he is operated on or we just let it callus over."

Dunn said the team were trying to remain positive and a quiet moment with his uncle Henderson Hunter helped.

“We were heading down to the beach this morning to work a couple of horses and he told me Trusty Scot [who Hunter trained] had the exact same injury after he raced in the Messenger as a four-year-old but came back two years later to win the New Zealand Cup as a six-year-old.

“So yes, it is a real blow, but we are trying to remain positive.”

Got The Chocolates had been the second favourite for the New Zealand Cup at Addington on November 10 after a series of stunning wins at Alexandra Park in the autumn.

Australian champion Leap To Fame is now the $2 favourite for the New Zealand Cup.