Mongolian Khan close to coming home
THIS will be a watershed week for Mongolian Khan on his long road to recovery from colitis.
On Thursday the glamour New Zealandtrained galloper will finally leave the Werribee Veterinary Clinic, his home since suffering a colitis attack a few days before the Melbourne Cup.
He was widely regarded as the horse to beat in the race on the first Tuesday of November that stops the racing world after he had brilliantly won the traditional leadup, the Group I Caulfield Cup, at his previous start.
He fell ill on the Thursday before the Cup and was rushed to Werribee to undergo specialist treatment which is credited with saving his life.
Serious colitis causes severe diarrhoea, which accounts for huge water loss, and can cause rapid loss of fluid from the circulatory system. It can result in death if untreated.
Recovery was initially expected to be relatively quick but the entire’s progress was slow and he has been under observation and treatment for four weeks.
Trainer Murray Baker said the $4 million-earning stallion had been fine on the morning of October 29 but suddenly fell ill after a morning feed. ‘‘He’s such a valuable horse – we sent him to Werribee to have him in the best hands,’’ Baker said. ‘‘They thought he could be there for up to three weeks but kept him longer just to be on the safe side.’’
Baker said Mongolian Khan would be cared for at a Flemington stable for a couple of weeks before returning to New Zealand once he has fully recovered. Baker hoped he would return to the track in the autumn.
Mongolian Khan’s withdrawal from the cup was a huge blow for Baker and Chinese owner Lang Lin, known as Mr Wolf, and the New Zealand racing public who were anticipating cheering home the first New Zealand winner since Ethereal 14 years earlier.
Meanwhile, Mongolian Khan’s stablemate Turn Me Loose is enjoying a break in New Zealand after his Victorian spring hattrick of wins culminating in the Group I Emirates Stakes. He may race in New Zealand before heading to the Sydney autumn carnival.