The only living offspring of Winx, the exceptional mare who won 25 Group Ones during her racing career, was sold for AU$10 million (£5,219,055) on the second day of the Inglis Easter Yearling Sale in Australia. Debbie Kepitis of Woppitt Bloodstock, which part-owns the famous dam, said: “I am privileged to have been able to secure this filly on behalf of my family. She’s Australian for ever and she’s going to be just fabulous. Thank you to everybody around the world who has taken this on board, it’s been thrilling to watch it and we’re lucky enough that we came out winners.”
Successful National Hunt jockey Aidan Coleman has called time on his riding career on medical grounds. The 35-year-old suffered a serious knee injury at Worcester racecourse last June when his mount Ascension Day ran out and into the wing of a hurdle. He described the incident as like “hitting a wall at 30 miles an hour”. Aidan was left with a shattered tibia and despite extensive rehabilitation, the injury has failed to heal sufficiently for him to return to the saddle.
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Researchers at the Royal Veterinary College (RVC) have found that “most findings present on cervical [neck] radiographs acquired at pre-purchase examinations [PPEs] are of unknown or low significance in a clinically normal horse” – and there is “little evidence to support these as part of a PPE”. The team said neck X-rays are frequently requested in vettings, so they reviewed findings from previous studies on cervical X-rays, to find out whether they should be included in PPEs. Rupert Freddie Dash, lead author and RVC staff clinician in equine diagnostic imaging, told H&H that when it comes to PPEs “there is more evidence currently that a physical exam of the neck is more valuable in terms of predicting if there’s an issue”.
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