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Valiant King Withdrawn From Melbourne Cup After Setback

The Joseph O'Brien-trained Valiant King (GB) (Roaring Lion) will not take part in the G1 Melbourne Cup on Nov. 7, and has instead been sent for a spell after suffering a setback, co-owner Ozzie Kheir confirmed on Friday.

The grey was most recently sixth in the G1 Caulfield Cup and was found to be lame in his left front leg earlier this week after a Racing Victoria vet inspection.

”After this morning's RV inspections where Valiant King was found to be mildly lame post his work, we had our own vets this evening come back and inspect him and agree with RV's assessment as he remained slightly lame in the front left fore,” Kheir told Racing.com.

”He was due to be inspected tomorrow morning by RV, but regardless of the outcome, we have decided that we will withdraw him from the Melbourne Cup now to allow other connections on the cusp of getting into the race to make plans.

”Unfortunately for the ownership group, Joseph O'Brien and his travelling team its obviously very disappointing to get so close and stumble at this last hurdle.”

A maiden winner at Navan in May, the 3-year-old was also second in the G3 Ballyroan S. this August.

Kheir added, 'We have always said we believe he will be a talented horse in the future and by looking after him now, we will get the rewards in the autumn and sprint next year.

”We hope to target the [G1] Australian Cup back at Flemington provided he acclimatizes well in the capable hands of Chris Waller.

”RV communication and handling of the matter has been very professional and supportive.”

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Desert Crown’s “Career in Balance” After Pulling Up Lame, Will Not Run In The Juddmonte International

Derby hero Desert Crown (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) has been withdrawn from Wednesday's G1 Juddmonte International after injuring himself during a workout on Sunday morning, according to owner Saeed Suhail's racing manager Bruce Raymond.

“[He] pulled up lame after breezing this morning; [he's] being assessed at [the] equine hospital, [his] career [is] in balance,” Raymond told racing broadcaster Nick Luck on Sunday.

A winner at first asking at two, the Sir Michael Stoute trainee swept the G2 Dante S. over the Knavesmire last May and won the Derby by 2 1/2 lengths that June. An ankle injury kept the son of Desert Berry (GB) (Green Desert) away from the races for almost a year until his second-place finish in the G3 Brigadier Gerard S. at Sandown on May 25. He was similarly on course for Royal Ascot but sustained a setback. After recovering, the G1 King George VI And Queen Elizabeth S. was his next target, but Desert Crown contracted a leg infection which ruled him out of that Ascot showpiece.

The post Desert Crown’s “Career in Balance” After Pulling Up Lame, Will Not Run In The Juddmonte International appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Where Should Veterinary Research Dollars Be Spent? A Professional’s Perspective

US Equestrian asked Dr. Rick Mitchell–chair of the Foundation for the Horse, part-owner of Fairfield Equine Associates, and longtime equestrian–what he would like to see in the future of equine veterinary medicine.

His list included everything from imaging improvements to stall-side tests and better anesthesia for horses undergoing surgery. Mitchell said he would like to see additional funding for veterinary research, specifically for osteoarthritis, which can affect horses no matter their breed, discipline or use.

The veteran practitioner would like the industry to learn more about why arthritis begins and what can be done to prevent it from occurring; specifically, whether there are ways a horse can be managed and conditioned that might alleviate some of the risk of arthritis development. Mitchell notes that additional funding for this topic – and others – would do a lot for equine welfare.

Mitchell also said that owners and managers of sport horses would do well to learn more about soft-tissue injuries. He noted that suspensory ligament injuries are often not recognized early on, and that these injuries are easy to miss until the horse is chronically lame. Awareness of subtle soundness issues is key; Mitchell said that catching these issues early may require more frequent visits from the vet and a more critical look during an exam.

Read more about Mitchell's thoughts at US Equestrian.

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Research Update: The Effect Of Equine Bodyweight On Performance

A recent study conducted by scientists in Sweden and Iceland examined the effect of altered body weight and body fat content on exercise performance and recovery. Nine horses were divided into two groups, and changes in bodyweight and fat content were induced by feeding a high or restricted energy diet. After 36 days, horses were switched to the other diet and the study was repeated. In the last week of each diet, bodyweight and body condition score were recorded, body fat percentage was estimated using ultrasound, and a standardized incremental treadmill exercise test and competition-like field test were performed.

Bodyweight, body fat percentage, and body condition score were higher (5 to 8 percent) in high energy horses compared to horses fed the restricted energy diet. In the standardized exercise test, horses on the high energy diet performed more poorly and recovered more slowly compared to horses fed the restricted energy diet. Additionally, locomotion asymmetry was greater in horses fed the high energy diet compared to the restricted energy diet. These results confirmed that increased bodyweight and body fat in horses lowered physiological fitness, reduced symmetry, and decreased performance ability. For more information on this research, read the paper published in Physiological Reports.

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