Jessica Harrington's daughter reports the Kildare trainer is "getting on great" after undergoing an operation earlier this week.
The legendary handler had surgery ahead of this weekend's Irish 2000 and 1000 Guineas at the Curragh - both races for which she has runners in.
Harrington was diagnosed with breast cancer last October and sees this week's operation as "another hurdle over and done with".
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Speaking to the Nick Luck Daily Podcast on Wednesday, the 76-year-old's daughter Kate said: "She's getting on great, she had her operation yesterday. As she says, it's another hurdle over and done with and she now can't wait to get back out of hospital to get looking at her Guineas hopes and Derby hope for next weekend."
Kate added: "I think I've already had a 45-minute phone call about everything that happening in the yard this morning so she is definitely out and about. She might not be here this morning, but she is definitely still here in spirit because she'll be on the phone to me about 20 times I'd say this morning."
Harrington is set to run Quar Shamar and Bold Discovery in the Irish 2000 Guineas on Saturday, while Eternal Silence is entered in the Irish 1,000 Guineas on Sunday.
Speaking earlier this week, Harrington said: "Things are great and I’m lucky enough.
“I’ve finished the worst part of it probably now, the chemotherapy, and we are just going onto the next stage now. It will take a bit longer, but I’ll be out and about very shortly.
“I’ve been very lucky enough to have a great support team. My daughter Kate and my son-in-law and my other daughter Emma, they’ve been around all winter, keeping things going.
“I did my best to get out every single day I could to look at the horses, because that was the best therapy I reckoned I had, because it was just lovely looking at the horses every day.
“I went racing last Friday at Leopardstown, but I go when it is nice and near when I can.
“I will most likely be watching the Derby at home, but I just don’t know. I’ll see how I get on.”
Harrington is hoping that just her second ever Derby runner can give her a maiden victory in the Epsom classic next weekend and believes Sprewell goes to England with a good chance.
“He’s done everything we hoped he would do,” said Harrington. “We were fairly confident going to Naas for the conditions race, rather than going for a maiden. He did that well and he learned a bit that day.
“He made a big step forward when we sent him to Leopardstown and he hit the line very strong that day, having come round the outside.”
“I think he will improve for racing,” she added. “He’s a fine, big horse.
“We are very happy with the temperament he’s got so far. He’s a laid-back horse and he’s very straightforward, and each time he’s run, he’s walked round the parade ring in a very relaxed manner.
“I know there will be much more hype and buzz in Epsom, but so far he has been very good.”
Those looking to pick holes in his form will point to the ground conditions. All four previous runs have some with plenty of ease and not once has the word ‘good’ entered the going description.
However, Sprewell’s conditioner feels this is something of an outlier and should they race on quick ground at Epsom, she believes it will not be a major factor.
Harrington said: “I think they will all go on it once. He is a low-moving horse, he is a very good-moving horse and I see no reason why he won’t run very well on it.
“It is just out of circumstances he’s run on soft ground, because it was a wet autumn in Ireland last year and it has been a wet spring.”
The Mohamed Khalid Mohamed Abdulrahim-owned colt has ticked every box thus far. Shane Foley’s mount will, of course, have to overcome Epsom’s idiosyncrasies of cambers and undulations, but Sprewell has plenty of the right attributes.
“He is a very well-balanced horse, so I’m hoping he will cope with it fine,” said Harrington.
“It would be very special to win the Derby. It’s on the bucket list. It is great to go there with a horse that’s got a chance. It’s very exciting.”
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