Super sprinter Hay List has been handed another life line to resurrect his great career with revolutionary surgery to his injured knee tipped to be as success.
Champion sprinter Hay List has undergone revolutionary surgery on his injured knee - photo © Steve Dowden
Hay List’s interrupted career was again put on hold when he fractured his knee when recovering from a colic operation in April and his racing future looked in doubt.
Australian company Medivet have developed ground breaking technology which they used in a medical first in this country when they sucked fat from Hay List’s tail and injected it into his knee to fix the damaged bone.
Medivet co-founder Garry Andrews explained the liposuction procedure which extracts dormant cells hidden in fat that can turn themselves into muscle and tendon which in turn repair badly damaged body parts.
“We found a little pocket of fat in either side of his tail,” Andrews said.
“We made a little incision and removed a little bit of fat.”
“We processed that fat and got millions of cells. We took that back the next day and injected either side of the knee with the stem cells to start helping him heal and grow back whatever is necessary in the knee.”
“This is the first use of its kind in Australia.”
“This horse is the king of racing. Had it not been for Black Caviar, he certainly would have won many more Group 1 races.”
“This miracle horse had colic, smashed his knee during the operation and has now had an operation to take bone out of that knee.”
Andrews will do a repeat liposuction in three weeks time to build up a bank of millions of cells to help recovery along the way.
“That is to help Hay List come back to his best,” Andrews said.
“I believe Hay List will come back fit and strong. We’re giving it the best technology in the world and giving it every possible chance.”
Hay List showed great qualities in his three Group 1 wins which included carrying 58.5kg in winning the $1m Lexus Newmarket Handicap (1200m) at Flemington on March 10 and was second on four occasions to the great mare Black Caviar at Group 1 level.
Trainer John McNair is confident his champion will recover from this latest setback and be competitive at the highest level again.
“Horses like him have the habit of doing the impossible. Their mental toughness and determination sets them apart.
“That’s what makes Black Caviar the freak she is.
“I’ve set the target of the Lightning Stakes at Flemington next year, but that’s probably not realistic. Maybe Brisbane in the winter is more realistic.”
