Racing: Vet shockwave torpedoes Gath

By MICHAEL GUERIN

The battle to save La Coocaracha's career appears lost.

Harness racing's heroine is now almost certain to be retired to stud, with her only hope of racing again the revolutionary shockwave therapy.

Trainer Andy Gath took La Coocaracha to the Werribee veterinary clinic yesterday with his fingers crossed that an operation to remove a chip of bone from her near front sesamoid, injured in last Friday's Rowe Cup, would go well.

The operation never took place.

Instead renowned veterinary surgeon Dr Alastair MacLean dropped a bombshell that levelled the mare's connections.

"I'd been told the break in the seasamoid bone was at the top, but after more x-rays I learned it is at the base of the bone and that's a different story," said MacLean.

"To operate where the break is would mean cutting ligaments and that would do more harm than good.

"The only avenue open to her connections is to try a treatment called shockwave therapy."

And MacLean says the chances of La Coocaracha responding to that treatment are slim.

Shockwave therapy is designed to promote improved healing of damaged bones.

It has proved succcessful with other standardbreds in Victoria but none with an injury as serious as La Coocaracha's.

"I have got to admit this is not a good patient to start with," said MacLean.

"I'm not going into this with much hope."

The therapy involves La Coocaracha being treated once every three weeks for at least four months but is a slow process and it will be at least a year before it is known whether La Coocaracha has even a remote chance of racing again.

Yesterday's prognosis was just about the last straw for Gath, who admits he does not expect to be taking La Coocaracha to the races again.

"She left racing on a high with what she did last Friday night and I couldn't try and bring her back unless I thought she was up to that level again, which doesn't sound on the cards," said Gath.

"I'm gutted. This time yesterday I was hoping her operation would go well and now I am minus one champion racehorse."

If La Coocaracha never graces the track again she will retire with a record of 23 wins from 35 starts and A$433,411 in stakes.

She graduated to open class only this season yet dominated Australasian trotting in Lyell Creek-like style, winning five group one races since December - Australasian Trotting Grand Prix, Bill Collins Mile, South Australia Cup, Australasian Trotting Championships and Rowe Cup.

The five-year-old smashed the New Zealand 3200m record last Friday, overcoming a 15m handicap and sitting parked before bolting in.

It now looks certain that was the final blaze of glory from a shooting star.