Rosberg’s spring campaign has been cut short, with the boom three-year-old found to be shin sore following his below-par showing in Saturday’s G2 Danehill Stakes (1100m) at Flemington.
The colt’s performance initially left connections “dumbfounded”, and trainer Clinton McDonald later confirmed the diagnosis.
Rosberg will head to the paddock for a spell of at least eight weeks.
Well backed as the $4.20 second favourite after support arrived for the filly My Gladiola ($4), Rosberg was tardy from the gates and never travelled, finishing last—more than 10 lengths from winner McGaw—over the 1100m dash.
Post-race, McDonald said he was at a loss to explain the run from a horse who had looked so sharp on debut when winning the McKenzie Stakes (1000m) at The Valley last month.
‘’I told them (vets) to scope and to check his heart – something’s gone amiss,’’ McDonald said after the race.
‘’Something has gone AWOL big time. He hasn’t had a bleed or anything like that so we’re as dumbfounded as you guys.
“He never travelled. As soon as he jumped, he was never on the bit and travelling. We’ve run two bloods off him and scoped him and everything was perfect coming into the race.”
