Hot Danish Euthanised After Losing Battle With Leg Infection

Hot Danish

Hot Danish

Talented mare Hot Danish has sadly passed away after losing her battle with a serious leg infection on Sunday.

The Nothin’ Leica Dane seven-year-old was forced to bow out of a successful racing career last month due to the same infection, which inevitably worsened.

Hot Danishes connections made the humane decision to euthanise the horse after the infection destroyed the tissue in her rear leg, leaving her unable to support herself.

Jockey Tim Clark was left shattered by the news that came just a day after one of his most successful race days of his career, where he took out the Group 1 Doncaster Mile and The Galaxy double at Randwick.

”It was a great day but this has brought me back down to earth,” Clark said.

”I was still buzzing from yesterday. Tony Curtis, one of the owners, rang to tell me about 15 minutes ago.

“It is pretty shattering.”

Clark told of Hot Danish’s never give up attitude that saw her win 16 of her 31 race starts and accumulate almost $2.3 million in prize money.

”Her real will to win, she was tough, she tried her hardest all the time, she wanted to win,” Clark said.

The jockey understands just what his alliance with Hot Danish has meant for his career.

“She helped me no end – kick-started my career at the higher level,” Clark said.

“She was there, preparation after preparation, winning good races for me.

“She kept my name up in the limelight, and I’ll be forever grateful for that.”

Clark was already saddened by Hot Danish’s need to end her racing career after first contracting the leg infection, but he never anticipated it would lead to this.

“It is very sad and unfortunate that she didn’t get to bow out of racing like we would have wanted her to and now for this to happen it is devastating to a lot of people,” he said.

“I just feel sorry for her, for the owners and for (trainer) Les Bridge as well, one of the owners rang me about lunchtime to tell me the sad news.

“She meant so much to a lot of people, a lot of people Les, myself, the staff at Les’ stable, Lenny that rode her in all her work, everyone is pretty upset about it.”

Hot Danish will be remembered for her fighting spirit, which led to wins in races such as the Group 1 All Aged Stakes and the Group 1 Doomben 10,000.

She will be sadly missed.

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