Racing: Rufus recovers a second time

By MICHAEL GUERIN

The Grim Reaper is finding Young Rufus just as hard to catch as most of the champion pacer's rivals on the racetrack.

New Zealand's best racehorse was on the improve last night after a rollercoaster day on his recovery from a twisted bowel.

Leading equine veterinary surgeon Bill Bishop believes if the five-year-old stallion can live through today he has a great chance of a full recovery.

Bishop led the team that performed surgery on Young Rufus on Friday after his suffered a twisted bowel last on Thursday night.

Despite constant rumours and reports the glamour pacer had died, Young Rufus has made it through a horror weekend.

But only just.

Trainer Mark Purdon received the phone call he feared yesterday morning when Bishop rang him to say Young Rufus would need another operation.

"Bill said he was starting to look really bad and that he would have to open him up again," said Purdon.

"Basically, Bill thought the repairs to the bowel had not worked and he was going to operate to confirm that. If he had been right then we would have had no choice to put him down."

Bishop's concern came after Young Rufus's condition worsened on Saturday night and yesterday morning.

But just as Bishop was preparing to perform the new surgery, Young Rufus started to brighten up.

"Bill had one last look at him and thought he detected Rufus just getting a little brighter.

"So he decided to hold off the surgery and he has kept on improving ever since."

It was the second time in three days Young Rufus has been on the verge of death, only to fight The Grim Reaper off.

By late last night Young Rufus was looking the best he has since Friday's operation and Purdon was even allowing himself a cautious smile.

"We are not getting carried away at this stage but things are looking up," he said yesterday.

"If he can make it through the next 24 hours we are confident he will be all right."

Young Rufus had nearly two metres of his bowel removed during Friday's operation.

But Bishop was more worried about another 10 metres of small intestine which was damaged by the twisted bowel.

Tests to monitor improvement in that area were producing far more positive results yesterday than on Saturday.

If those tests continue to produce positive results, Young Rufus may be fed small amounts of food tonight, a major step on the road back to full health.

Young Rufus, who is uninsured, could have a multi-million career as a stallion should he recover.

And it is not impossible that he would make it back to the track, with another former open class pacer OK Oscar having done so after a twisted bowel.

"We haven't thought about that yet.

"We just want to make sure he gets through the next few days," said Purdon.

"If he does, fingers crossed, then we would see how much this whole experience has taken out of him before we even start to talk about his future."

Saving the Champ

Young Rufus is slowly recovering from surgery for a twisted bowel

Vet Bill Bishop feared the champion pacer would die yesterday

Tests indicate his damaged intestines are healing

While unlikely, it is possible he could race again