12 January 2023 , 17:21
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A racehorse who won a Group 3 race as a filly will make an extraordinary return to action on Friday - as a gelding.
Flamingo Girl will start the next chapter of an eventful career in a one mile handicap at Meydan in Dubai for local trainer Doug Watson.
When last in action Flamingo Girl ran in a Listed race at Hanover for two-time German champion trainer Henk Grewe.
But her career as a filly was brought to a halt when it was discovered she was intersex, possessing both male and female characteristics.
It only came to light following a victory in an Italian Group 3 prize in September 2021 when Flamingo Girl tested positive for elevated levels of testosterone during a routine test, resulting in her disqualification.
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Suspecting doping, a shocked Grewe conducted his own tests which ruled out any skulduggery, but established Flamingo Girl had weakly developed male genitalia as well as female sex organs.
The genitalia were removed but, unable to run in Europe, Flamingo Girl changed ownership and was transferred to the Watson stable.
Grewe said: “It’s a crazy story because she is a gelding now. She was a female outside, but inside she was a male character. You can’t breed from her.
“She wasn’t allowed to race in Europe and so we sent her to Dubai where she is allowed to run. I think she is a bit high in the handicap so it won’t be easy for her.”