A throat injury has ended Once Were Wild's Cups campaign
Gai Waterhouse-trained Melbourne Cup hopeful Once Were Wildhas had her Cups campaign ended due to a throat injury.
The injury, which involves the mare’s epiglottis, will require surgery and will place Once Were Wild out of spring racing contention.
The problem was discovered after jockey Damien Oliver noticed she was making unusual noises during her disappointing 14th place finish in the Group 3 Naturalism Stakes last start.
“Damien rode her at trackwork and didn’t hear anything and then rode her in the Naturalism and heard a bit of a noise,” said Gai Waterhouse’s racing manager Bruce Slade.
“He suggested to get her scoped and it (the injury) was confirmed there.”
One Were Wild was nominated for the Melbourne Cup, Caulfield Cup and Cox Plate this spring.
The decision will now be made whether to continue racing Once Were Wild next autumn or whether to retire her to stud.
“Gai and Singo (John Singleton) and the team here weren’t happy with her last run so they’ve decided to put her in the paddock and now they are going to decide whether to spell her or send her to stud,” Slade said.
Once Were Wild has won seven of her 21 career starts and has accrued more than $450,000 in prize money.
The Johannesburg mare finished 11 out of 24 in last year’s $6 million Melbourne Cup, which was won by Americain.
