Connections of star Singapore galloper Inferno have been dealt a major blow after the Cliff Brown-trained four-year-old was withdrawn from the G1 Hong Kong Sprint.
Inferno failed a vet inspection at Sha Tin on Tuesday afternoon after he was found to be lame in the left front leg, prompting officials to scratch the speedster.
Champion jockey Zac Purton, who was booked to ride Inferno in the Sprint, had this to say to the South China Morning Post: “It’s unfortunate. Singapore looks like they’ve got such a nice horse and it would have been great to see him compete against our horses here, but there’s no use competing if you’re not right – it’s an unfair fight.”
“The welfare of the horse comes first and there’s no use taking any risks with him. He’s lame – they think they know what it is but they’re not sure, so there’s no use taking the risk.”
