Melbourne Cup runner put down
A horse has been euthanised after suffering an injury in the Melbourne Cup.
Irish horse The Cliffsofmoher fractured his right shoulder when running down the straight the first time.
The four-year-old was pulled up 600m into the race by English jockey Ryan Moore, eventually stopping halfway around the first corner. Vets were soon in attendance, with tarpaulins going up around the horse to shield it from public view.
Jamie Stier, Racing Victoria’s manager of integrity services, confirmed the death yesterday.
‘‘It is with sadness that we confirm that The Cliffsofmoher had to be humanely euthanised after sustaining a fractured right shoulder during the running of the Melbourne Cup at Flemington,’’ Stier said.
‘‘The horse received immediate veterinary care, however it was unable to be saved due to the nature of the injury sustained. ‘‘This was an unfortunate incident that happens infrequently, with Victoria having one of the best safety records in world racing.
‘‘Our sympathies are extended to Coolmore and the Williams family, the owners of The Cliffsofmoher, jockey Ryan Moore, trainer Aidan O’Brien and his staff who cared for the horse and are greatly saddened by their loss.’’ Seven commentator Bruce McAvaney described it as a ‘‘tragedy’’.
Before the race, The Cliffsofmoher was ‘‘sweating up’’, which can sometimes be an indication a horse is in distress.
‘‘Cliffsofmoher, he’s melting like an ice-cream at the moment,’’ Seven commentator Richard Freedman said. ‘‘He’s really sweating up badly.’’
But it was also noted in the coverage that the horse frequently did this before races, including when he ran without incident last start in the Caulfield Cup to finish third.
There was further drama from the post-race veterinary examination of the two favourites, Magic Circle and Yucatan. Magic Circle, who finished 17th, was found to have broken a blood vessel, but was recovering well and not in any further danger.
Yucatan, who finished 11th, pulled up lame in a near foreleg a minor injury - but was also not in any further danger.
The Cliffsofmoher is not the first horse to be put down at the Melbourne Cup.
Fan favourite Red Cadeaux, who finished second on three occasions, was pulled up in the final straight of the 2015 edition of the race and it was later confirmed he suffered a break in his left foreleg. He was treated by vets for three weeks after the race, but was eventually euthanised. Admire Rakti was a Japanese horse who collapsed and died from cardiac arrest at the Melbourne Cup in 2014. British-born Araldo shattered his leg after being frightened by spectators; he was also put down in 2014.