Horatio Nelson put down after suffering serious injury
by Tony Elves & David Ashforth (June 3)
HORATIO NELSON was put down after suffering a serious injury in Saturday’s Vodafone Derby but Dr Peter Webbon, chief executive of the Horseracing Regulatory Authority, was happy that Kieren Fallon's mount, sent off the second favourite, was fit to race.
Both the Racing Post and BBC received calls and e-mails asking why hehad taken part after the colt had been examined before the start of the race when Fallon appeared to have some concerns about his mount.
Horatio Nelson took his place in the 18-runner line up but stumbled and had to be pulled up by Fallon near the twofurlong marker.
Vets and the horse ambulance were soon on the scene but it had transpired that the colt had sustained a broken near fore leg.
Webbon, previously the Jockey Club's veterinary director, said: "Horatio Nelson has been put down. The response when he was injured was extremely quick. He was taken in an ambulance to the treatment centre where several X-rays were taken. They revealed major injuries to his right foreleg. He had fractured a cannon bone, a sesamoid bone, and dislocated a fetlock joint. There were open wounds and damage to the blood vessels, nerves and ligaments around the joint which were already potentially infected. Five veterinary surgeons were there and they were of the unanimous opinion that the situation was hopeless andit was in the horse's best interests to put him down."
The vets included Webbon, James Halley of Coolmore, and three racecourse vets, one of whom, Jenny Hall, was in attendance before the race, when Horatio Nelson was trotted up and down after jockeyKieren Fallon expressed some concern about his mount.
Webbon explained: "Hall discussed the situation with Aidan O'Brien, the trainer, and both were satisfied that the horse was fit to compete. Hall is an extremely experienced vet and O'Brien is an extremely experienced trainer and they would not have allowed the horse to run if they thought its life was being put at risk."
Horatio Nelson's part-owner John Magnier praised the help given by the racecourse in the horse's treatment while a dejected Fallon left the course after giving up his mount on Indian Trail in the last.
Fallon said: “He was a bit stiff but he was fine when he trotted off. I don’t know at what stage it happened I just heard his leg snap and it’s very upsetting.”
The HRA doesnot intend to hold another inquiry specific to this incident but spokesman Paul Struthers said: "Whenever there is a major meeting, regardless of whether an incident like this occurs, we always hold a review concerning the whole meeting, and while this incident will be discussed, we will not be having a specific inquiry into just the incident.
"However, it must be borne in mind that all racecourse injuries are continually monitored."