Gilded Venom loses battle for life
January 20th 2009 06:30
The West Australian Summer Racing Carnival unearthed a potential star this year when the unheralded Gilded Venom swept the eastern state competition aside to win a series of Group races.
I was looking forward to his appearance in Melbourne in the Spring of 2009 as his speedfigures from his wins placed him in the list of top thoroughbreds in the land. But unfortunately, after trying valiantly to stave off the effects of infection, Gilded Venom has needed to be euthanised to end his suffering.
The winner of the Group One Railway Stakes was put down at the Baldivis Veterinary Clinic where vets had battled for two weeks to save the four-year-old.
Owner-trainer Steve Wallace found swelling in Gilded Venom's offside knee on New Years Day.
Vets attempted a range of treatments and antibiotics to combat the infection without success.
“He had 19 days of the strongest antibiotics known to man and his white cell levels were still increasing. We had no other option then to end it all.” - Steve Wallis (as told to Perth Racing).
“It is terrible news for everyone but that's racing and he gave us a wonderful ride." - Wallace.
The following is an earlier (more optimistic) report from Perthracing.com.au:
Gilded Venom the reigning champion of the recently completed Festival of Perth Racing, has only a 10% chance of ever racing again, according to his trainer Steve Wallace.
The robust son of Golden Snake had the racing world at his feet, but an infection to his nearside knee has stumped local and international veterinarians, leaving the five year olds life in the balance.
On New Years day, Wallace noticed that Gilded Venoms knee was swollen and he was mildly lame.
“When he was a yearling the same knee blew up and we treated him with antibiotics which fixed the problem.” Wallace told perthracing.com.au
“I immediately took Gilded Venom to the Baldivis Veterinary Clinic on New Years Day for treatment. However he didn’t respond to the antibiotics and the problem has continued since then.”
“We are trying a new form of treatment used in the UK with him, that consists of flushing the knee joint out with saline and antibiotics, while the area around the knee is isolated with a tourniquet.”
“There are signs the knee is starting to respond and his white cell count is starting to return to somewhere near normal.”
“The longer the problem exists the greater the damage is caused to his knee.”
“The bacteria produce an enzyme which eats away at the knee cart ledge.”
“All we are hoping is to be able to get him sound enough to make it back to the farm and he can live out the rest of his life with some of the other retirees we have at the stud.”
“The most optimistic outlook is that after six months we maybe able to look at putting him back into light work, but at the moment our concern is for the horse’s welfare.”
“Gilded Venom has given us a wonderful ride over his career and especially during the carnival. We all understand the racing game and that’s the way it goes.” Wallace said.
The loss of Gilded Venom follows on from the career ending injury to El Presidente the star of the 2007 Summer Carnival.
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