Gutting Losses of Top Horses
And Then There Was One
Sunday ended the dreams of Manduro's (Monsun Ger) connections to win the Arc de Triomphe, finish his fifth year with six straight wins under trainer Andre Fabre, attain the world's top turf horse rating (currently 131) and be chosen Horse of the Year.
Manduro easily and elegantly won the Prix Foy, 1m 4f, putting paid to the question that he might not stay the distance.
That left the quibblers about his superiority and ability to win the Arc with only one objection: who would replace jockey Stephane Pasquier (who is retained by the owner of Zambezi Sun (Dansili)).
The silly argument about jockeys never got started as tragedy struck Manduro in the race; he fractured his right hind cannon bone.
Like the true champion he is, he rode it out to win.
Sheikh Mohammed, whose Darley Stud will stand Manduro, flew renowned Newmarket veterinary surgeon Ian Wright over to France to operate and the horse is resting comfortably.
John Ferguson, who is Sheikh Mohammed's bloodstock expert, said the horse is expected to make a full recovery and will be rehabilitated for the February 2008 breeding season.
Fabre is "devastated" to lose "the best horse I have ever trained, and the best by a good margin." Given that he trained the horse rated the best in the last 20 years, Peintre Celebre USA (Nureyev USA), this is no idle compliment.
Manduro's owner, Baron von Ullmann, is "absolutely devastated", "gutted" and was unable to go to work yesterday.
We can only hope that the injury is less severe than Sheikh Mohammed's beloved Dubai Millennium's (Seeking the Gold USA) and Barbaro's USA (Dynaformer USA). Both had excellent medical treatment, but did not survive the year.
The world's top-rated horse at 132, Invasor Arg (Candy Stripes USA) was retired earlier this year due to injury and will stand at Shadwell Stud in the USA along with injured Jazil USA (Seeking the Gold USA).
Cockney Rebel Ire (Val Royal Fr), double Guineas winner, never recovered from his pelvic fracture and also has been retired along with the brilliant Teofilo Ire (Galileo Ire) who never got his chance to race this year.
If the news is not bad enough, dirt star filly Rags to Riches (USA) (A P Indy USA) fractured a bone in Saturday's race and will be out of racing until 2008. Hopefully, her owner Michael Tabor will protect her little cousin Peeping Fawn USA (Danehill USA).
Two of the world's top-rated horses have been retired this year and one of the world's best fillies is stricken.
There is only one horse left with a lofty 131 rating--three-year-old Authorized Ire (Montjeu Ire)--who will take on all comers at the Arc.
May the gods keep him safe!
Sunday ended the dreams of Manduro's (Monsun Ger) connections to win the Arc de Triomphe, finish his fifth year with six straight wins under trainer Andre Fabre, attain the world's top turf horse rating (currently 131) and be chosen Horse of the Year.
Manduro easily and elegantly won the Prix Foy, 1m 4f, putting paid to the question that he might not stay the distance.
That left the quibblers about his superiority and ability to win the Arc with only one objection: who would replace jockey Stephane Pasquier (who is retained by the owner of Zambezi Sun (Dansili)).
The silly argument about jockeys never got started as tragedy struck Manduro in the race; he fractured his right hind cannon bone.
Like the true champion he is, he rode it out to win.
Sheikh Mohammed, whose Darley Stud will stand Manduro, flew renowned Newmarket veterinary surgeon Ian Wright over to France to operate and the horse is resting comfortably.
John Ferguson, who is Sheikh Mohammed's bloodstock expert, said the horse is expected to make a full recovery and will be rehabilitated for the February 2008 breeding season.
Fabre is "devastated" to lose "the best horse I have ever trained, and the best by a good margin." Given that he trained the horse rated the best in the last 20 years, Peintre Celebre USA (Nureyev USA), this is no idle compliment.
Manduro's owner, Baron von Ullmann, is "absolutely devastated", "gutted" and was unable to go to work yesterday.
We can only hope that the injury is less severe than Sheikh Mohammed's beloved Dubai Millennium's (Seeking the Gold USA) and Barbaro's USA (Dynaformer USA). Both had excellent medical treatment, but did not survive the year.
The world's top-rated horse at 132, Invasor Arg (Candy Stripes USA) was retired earlier this year due to injury and will stand at Shadwell Stud in the USA along with injured Jazil USA (Seeking the Gold USA).
Cockney Rebel Ire (Val Royal Fr), double Guineas winner, never recovered from his pelvic fracture and also has been retired along with the brilliant Teofilo Ire (Galileo Ire) who never got his chance to race this year.
If the news is not bad enough, dirt star filly Rags to Riches (USA) (A P Indy USA) fractured a bone in Saturday's race and will be out of racing until 2008. Hopefully, her owner Michael Tabor will protect her little cousin Peeping Fawn USA (Danehill USA).
Two of the world's top-rated horses have been retired this year and one of the world's best fillies is stricken.
There is only one horse left with a lofty 131 rating--three-year-old Authorized Ire (Montjeu Ire)--who will take on all comers at the Arc.
May the gods keep him safe!
Posted by susan trevelyan-syke at 9/18/2007 12:23 PM 
Categories: Teofilo, Cockney Rebel, Manduro, Barbaro--2007, Invasor, Rags to Riches
Categories: Teofilo, Cockney Rebel, Manduro, Barbaro--2007, Invasor, Rags to Riches
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