SCRATCHED GALLOPER’S RUNNING REPAIRS
STAR New Zealander Gingernuts has had four screws put in his near fore leg to repair a fractured pastern suffered on the way to the barrier for the Group One Emirates Stakes.
The four-year-old, winner of the NZ Derby and Rosehill Guineas in the autumn, was the favourite for Saturday’s $2 million 2000m-race at Flemington. His jockey Michael Dee jumped off immediately he sensed something was wrong and kept Gingernuts quiet until the vets got to him.
Te Akau boss David Ellis believes Gingernuts’ temperament will be an asset during his recovery.
“He’s got a beautiful temperament. He’s a lovely, kind horse and he’ll be a very good patient,” Ellis told NZ Racing Desk.
The leg was scanned yesterday and Gingernuts had the surgery within hours.
“The fracture was worse than we had hoped for and he was operated on at the Werribee Vet Clinic,” Ellis said.
“The operation went very, very well with four screws put into the pastern.”
Gingernuts will spend the next week at the clinic and the following month nearby.
“After that he’ll come home to Te Akau for a good, long spell,” Ellis said.
Te Akau also posted a web statement thanking all who had looked after the horse and the owners during the stressful time on Saturday.
One of the owners took a turn and was treated by medical staff on-course but did not need to be hospitalised and travelled home yesterday.