Darren Binskin said the injury plagued Major In Art five-year-old, owned and bred by prolific owner Emilio Rosati, was found with swelling in “his best leg” on Wednesday, just days after an encouraging Group 3 placing on Saturday night and a regulation training session on Tuesday.
“We don’t know how, we don’t know why,” Binskin said. “He wouldn’t have got through an Inter Dominion. The welfare of the horse comes first.”
Real Stride was found to have a deep flexor tendon tear and bruising, “like a strain”, and had they raced on “it only would have damaged more”.
“I don’t think it’s career ending, but the best thing for the horse is to have six to 12 months off,” Binskin said.
“It is pretty devastating for the owner, we’ve put a lot of time and effort into him. He’s had injuries, so it wasn’t a shock that it happened but a shock when it happened.”
The omission has opened the door for first emergency, former Western Australian pacer John Of Arc for trainer Clive Dalton.
Unraced since January but a winner of the 2017 Sokyola Sprint and second placegetter in the 2017 West Australian Cup, John Of Arc’s late entrance into ID18 has also been a win for experienced reinsman Neil McCallum, who has picked up the drive.
“Everyone wants to drive in the Inters,” a delighted McCallum said.
“I was going to Melton trials on Tuesday when Clive said he needed to put down a name and ‘if he gets a run you can drive it in the series’. Then I got the text that he was in about an hour ago.”
Saturday night will give McCallum his second tilt at an Inter Dominion and first since he steered Imprimartar in the 1992 series at Moonee Valley, ultimately won by Westburn Grant.
McCallum, who was speaking as he was about to make the journey to Mildura for tonight’s racing, said opportunities like these were great rewards for the hard yards.
“You do all the miles all of the time and occasionally you get rewards and get to drive in the big races,” McCallum said. “It’s great to have the series back in Victoria. It’s been a long time coming and it’s the best thing that’s happened.”
Michael Howard