Darren Beasley’s world has been turned on its head after his superstar greyhound Hostile endured a career-threatening injury in a Golden Easter Egg semi-final on Saturday night.

After qualifying for this weekend’s $250,000 to-the-winner final with a brilliant runner-up performance behind fellow Victorian Recruitment, Hostile (pictured above) hurt himself in the catching pen.

“He has broken his metatarsal bone and in two places and he’ll be operated on today. It’s a six month injury and at three years of age and being in top grade, I doubt if he’ll race again,” said hobby trainer Beasley, of West Footscray.

“It’s absolutely gut-wrenching for me and the owners (the Chatterwal Syndiate). I reckon he was on the verge of winning a really big race.”

Barring a miraculous recovery, Hostile looks destined for life on the couch unless breeders come knocking.

“The stud game is extremely commercial and tough to crack, but he (Hostile) is by Collision and is bred along the same lines as High Earner, who is a proven sire that is no longer around, so who knows, there may be a bit of interest for him.”

“But the main thing is we’ve still got him and he’ll be looked after for the rest of his life,” Beasley said.

Hostile, third placegetter in this month’s Group 1 Australian Cup, has raced 36 times for 13 wins and 13 placings, earning $125,000 in prize money along the way.

His place in Saturday night’s Group 1 Golden Easter Egg final has been filled by Zipping Midge, who was the fastest third placegetter from Saturday’s semis.
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Recruitment (1) defeats Hostile (8) in a Golden Easter Egg semi-final on Saturday night before disaster struck in the catching pen.
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Group 1 Golden Easter Egg
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Saturday night 4 April – Wentworth Park – 520m

1. DAWKINS BALE (Jenny Hunt, Vic)
2. ZIPPING MIDGE (Jason Mackay, NSW)
3. OVER LIMIT (Paul Stuart, WA)
4. DYNA DOUBLE ONE (Andrea Dailly, Vic)
5. DYNA NICO (Andrea Dailly, Vic)
6. RECRUITMENT (Deborah Coleman (Vic)
7. RONRAY SPIRIT (Terry Reid, Vic)
8. FERNANDO BALE (Andrea Dailly, Vic)
Reserves
9. SPACECRAFT (Lorraine Atchison, NSW)
10. ZIPPING ABBY (Ronald Seymour, NSW)