Former Caulfield Cup favourite Admire Deus has suffered a life-threatening injury in a track gallop at Warrnambool.
Darren Weir’s assistant trainer Jarrod McLean said the horse broke down on Tuesday morning and had been taken to the veterinary clinic in Ballarat with a serious leg injury.
McLean said there seemed to be no reason for the accident with the track in perfect condition.
“We were able to get him in the horse ambulance,” McLean told RSN927.
“He has been scanned and X-rayed. There were no breaks or fractures but fragments of bone and damage to the suspensory.
“We put a splint on him and he has been transported to Ballarat.
“I reckon it’s touch and go whether he survives.”
McLean said if he did recover, Admire Deus would not race again.
Admire Deus was bought by Australian Bloodstock which won the Melbourne Cup with Protectionist in 2014 and brought him to Australia to be trained by Weir.
AB director Jamie Lovett tweeted his disappointment.
Admire Deus is now likely to be retired: