Imported stayer Ibicenco has been euthanized after a freak accident in a paddock at Wingara last night.
Ibicenco recorded his biggest win in Australia when he took out the 2013 edition of the Geelong Cup. Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia
Ibicenco was sent to the paddock of part-owner Simon O’Donnell after he suffered an injury during the Group 2 Naturalism Stakes (2000m) at Caulfield on September 20 and sustained serious injuries after becoming tangled with a fence in the Wingara paddock overnight.
The veteran galloper was a member of the Peter Moody stable and the leading Melbourne trainer revealed on Twitter this morning that the six-year-old had passed away.
“RIP IBICENCO. Sympathys to connections. He will be missed. A lovely horse,” Moody posted on Twitter.
Ibicenco started his racing career in Germany under the care of Jens Hirschberger and he was purchased by OTI Racing after he finished second behind Campanologist in the Group 1 Preis Von Europa (2412m) in September of 2011 and was transferred to the Luca Cumani stable.
The Shirocco entire made his Australian racing debut with a disappointing seventh place finish in the Group 2 Moonee Valley Gold Cup (2500m) on October 27 and missed out on a start in the Melbourne Cup when he finished fourth in the Group 3 Lexus Stakes (2500m), but recorded his maiden Australian race win in the Listed Sandown Cup (3200m) on November 17.
Ibicenco was sent to Brisbane for a Winter Carnival campaign in 2013 and he was beaten as a short-priced favourite in the Group 3 Tatt’s Cup (2200m) and the Listed Queensland Cup (3200m) before he returned to winning form with a narrow victory at big odds in the Listed Slickpix Stakes (1700m) at Caulfield.
The six-year-old failed to fire in both the Group 3 Naturalism Stakes (2000m) and the Group 1 The Metropolitan (2400m), but he produced a much improved performance in the Group 3 Geelong Cup (2400m) and the penalty he received was enough to earn him a start in the Group 1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) where he finished 16th behind Fiorente.
Ibicenco was given a lengthy stint in the spelling paddock after the Melbourne Cup before returning to races with a promising eighth in the Listed Australian Thoroughbred Bloodstock Stakes (1700m) at Caulfield on August 30, but he had his 2014 Spring Racing Carnival campaign ended after suffering an injury in the Naturalism Stakes.
The entire recorded three wins from his 15 race starts in Australia, but accumulated almost $400,000 in prizemoney for connections.
