Australian Thoroughbred Bloodstock-owned Tac De Boistron is set to miss both the Prix Royal-Oak and Irish St Leger after injuring himself in a freak accident yesterday.
Tac De Boistron is unlikely to race again this year after suffering bruised ribs. Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia
Tac De Boistron was returning from trackwork at the Newmarket stable of trainer Marco Botti yesterday when he flipped himself over and landed heavily on his side.
Vets diagnosed Tac De Boistron with bruised ribs and according to managing co-owner Darren Dance, the seven-year-old stayer is set to miss the rest of the 2014 European racing season.
“We have waited all year to get him ready for those big races in France and he is in serious doubt now,” Dance told Racing Ahead this morning.
“He has bruised ribs of all things.
“We chose not to run him at Ascot because the track was far too firm and we thought that we had the right thing by saving him for the Irish St Leger and the French races in October, which will be guaranteed heavy.
“Obviously not having that run at Ascot, he has got a bit fresh and felt a bit good and he has reared up on the way back from trackwork, flipped himself over and hit the ground.
“They thought he had broken a rib and in some ways we are lucky that it is only bruised.
“Typically it takes at least a month for bruised ribs to heal and given that it is right on the girth strap that is the worst possible place.
“At the end of the day he is a very good horse and we won’t be taking any chances with him.
“If it takes four weeks, six weeks or eight weeks it doesn’t really matter as long as we get him right and have a horse for next year.
Tac De Boistron was purchased by Australian Thoroughbred Bloodstock in 2012 and he came to Australia for the 2012 Spring Racing Carnival, but failed to handle the firm racing surfaces and beat home just a single runner in both the Group 3 Geelong Cup (2400m) and Group 1 Melbourne Cup (3200m).
The Take Risks gelding returned to the United Kingdom in 2013 and found his best form to win the Listed Stand Cup (2474m) at Chester on September 14, finish second in the Group 1 Prix Du Cadran (4000m) at Longchamp on October 6 and score his maiden Group 1 win in the Prix Royal-Oak (3100m) at the same venue on October 27.
Tac De Boistron started his 2014 racing season with a win in the Group 3 Sagaro Stakes (3218m) at Ascot on April 30 and finished second in the Group 2 Yorkshire Cup (2816m) at York on May 16 before being ruled out of the Group 1 Gold Cup (4000m) at the Royal Ascot meeting due to the firm racing surface.
