Rich Tapestry (yellow) wins his prep race
Trainer Michael Chang Chun-wai’s worst fears were confirmed and the Lasix debate re-ignited over Rich Tapestry’s Breeders’ Cup failure after which the sprinter was revealed to have substantial blood in his trachea.
Rich Tapestry, racing without the controversial anti-bleeding diuretic Lasix at the behest of Hong Kong Jockey Club officials, was slammed in betting to start 6-4 favourite in the US$1.5 million Gr1 Xpressbet Sprint, but finished tailed off last.
Work All Week delivered trainer Roger Brueggemann a first Breeders’ Cup victory when he sat near a hectic pace and scored half a length to Secret Circle, with Private Zone a further neck away in third, but Rich Tapestry began dropping back through the field in the middle stages.
Jockey Olivier Doleuze didn’t push Rich Tapestry over the final 300m, and immediately dubbed the run “too bad to be true” after the race and added that he suspected an endoscopic examination would reveal an abnormality.
The French jockey was proven correct when Rich Tapestry was found to have blood on his trachea, graded to be three out of four in severity by vets.
“There was a lot of blood and dirt inside,” said a devastated Chang. “He just couldn’t breathe. Obviously he can run better than that, and the issues were just stopping him.
The six-year-old gelding has scoped four times previously with substantial blood on his trachea after races in Hong Kong, and Chang said the bleeding was similar in severity after today’s US$1.5million race.
“What can I say? Regardless of bleeding, he didn’t jump quick, he missed half a length and then they just went a crazy pace,” Chang said. “He couldn’t breathe and that’s why he stopped halfway
Rich Tapestry, who was the only runner in the 14-runner field not to use Lasix, was immediately treated with a respiratory drug and also required his eyes to be flushed because of the dirt kickback.
“He copped a lot of kick-back,” Chang said. “That might have something to do with why he ran so poorly.”
Chang said the horse, who had won the Group One Santa Anita Sprint earlier this month, would be given at least five weeks off as he fulfilled quarantine requirements and will then be set for a return to the Dubai World Cup carnival and races on the newly laid dirt track at Meydan.
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