Racing: Xcellent setback shocks industry

Paul Moroney checks Xcellent's injury. Picture / Amos Chappel

Xcellent had more resting on his fabulous shoulders than he realised when he sadly broke down at Matamata yesterday morning.

He was carrying the entire New Zealand racing industry.

It needed him badly.

He was the shining hope the New Zealand thoroughbred industry had to completely get over the top of the Aussies like our gallopers have battled to do in the last couple of years.

He really did have that potential.

If you need an example of how important that is you take note of the success rate of New Zealand-trained horses in Australia in the last few years.

Sure, there have been exceptions, but it was significant leading Sydney trainer Gai Waterhouse did not make a buy at the recent Karaka sales.

Singlehandedly, Xcellent could have turned that around.

He was not suited in Makybe Diva's Cox Plate, but his Melbourne Cup third place to Australia's darling of the turf at his last race-day appearance was enough to generate a remarkable amount of respect.

Xcellent was standing on the doorstep of greatness.

Whether that is able to be revived with time has yet to be answered.

Scans of his damaged leg today will reveal more about that possibility.

Understandably the Mike Moroney and Andrew Scott stable was in shock yesterday afternoon as it contemplated the end of its A$1 million ($1.08 million) Australian Cup plan.

Further riches were planned in the US$5 million ($7.4 million) Sheema Classic in Dubai.

Xcellent was to have begun that campaign in Saturday's group one $100,000 Waikato Draught Sprint at Te Rapa, in which he faced the similarly talented Darci Brahma.

"We were very confident of a big showing on Saturday," said Mike Moroney's brother Paul, the major ownership shareholder in Xcellent.

"Apart from being a little worried where the pace was coming from in that race, we knew there had been lengths improvement in the horse since he last raced - all the signs were there."

Paul Moroney described the problem as a thickening of the superficial flexor tendon.

"There had been a little bit of action around the fetlock, which he sprained when he lost a shoe running third in the Melbourne Cup, but it was not serious.

"Scotty [Andrew Scott] said this morning he thought there was a little more to it."

Stable veterinarian Jim Marks was called in and Paul Moroney said he knew there was serious trouble the second he answered Marks' cellphone call mid-morning.

"I heard the devastation in Jim Marks' voice.

"He'd gone to the stable to evaluate what was a minor irritation and as only top vets can do he immediately discovered something different.

"Jim said that there was a sprain and when he applied pressure, Xcellent nearly went through the roof."

Paul Moroney was yesterday afternoon rubbing an analgesic ointment to the affected area to reduce swelling.

"When I saw the problem I was surprised how good it looked," said Paul Moroney.

"Only the scan will tell us whether it's a tendon tear or whether there is just some fibre tear.

"If it's the fibre it might only be a three to four weeks spell - a tendon tear would mean a break of between four to six months then possibly surgery.

"Let's hope that this is one time in his life that Jim Marks is wrong.

"A tear would mean a major problem for his future."

That future should have been the A$1 million Australian Cup (2000m) at Flemington on March 11.

Australian bookmakers were as stunned as New Zealanders over the breakdown.

Melbourne's Double Bet manager Brian Taylor said betting on the Australian Cup had told the story that Australians had taken Xcellent to heart after his fabulous Melbourne Cup third.

"They had forgiven him for his beaten Cox Plate performance, perhaps because of the 'off' track, and rated him on the Melbourne Cup.

"To give you an example of his popularity, we opened Australian Cup betting with Lad Of The Manor the clear favourite.

"He's a country-trained horse that won the Mackinnon Stakes and people really took a shine to him.

"We opened Xcellent at $6 second favourite. Xcellent has been so well backed in Australia that he's come into $4 clear favourite."

Like every astute Australian bookie, Taylor is mesmerised by the electric sprint Xcellent can produce.

"No one can forget the 400m sprint he put on in the Melbourne Cup.

"No horse in Australia has a sprint like that. What a shame."