Admire Rakti dies after 2014 Melbourne Cup

JAPANESE racehorse Admire Rakti has collapsed and died after pulling up distressed after the 2014 Melbourne Cup.
The horse, who started a well-backed Melbourne Cup favourite but faded to last after leading, dropped dead in his stall shortly after the race. The news of Admire Rakti’s sad death came just minutes before further reports that another 2014 Melbourne Cup runner, Araldo, may be have to be euthanased. The Mike Moroney-trained stayer fractured a cannon bone (leg bone) jumping a fence after shying at a spectator’s flag. Araldo has been taken to Werribee Veterinary Hospital for emergency surgery to have plates inserted into his leg in an attempt to save it. The injury is the same one French horse Verema sustained in the Melbourne Cup last year. Verema’s injury was so bad it had to be put down within hours of the race so it wouldn’t suffer. Racing Victoria chief steward Terry Bailey said told Channel 7 that Admire Rakti “unfortunately... collapsed and died” in his stall. The Japanese superstar, who only last month was the toast of Australia after rocketing home to claim the Gorup 1 Caulfield Cup, was eased out of the Melbourne Cup on the home turn, his jockey Zac Purton allowing him to walk across the line. Soon after, he began to shake before collapsing in his stall. Bailey said on its performance, Admire Rakti would have been subject to a veterinarian inspection anyway. He said the horse’s owners were “very saddened” about the stayer’s death. The horse will be taken to Werribee veterinary hospital for an autopsy to confirm an official cause of death. A Fox Sports News presenter says the horse may have suffered a heart attack.
Story courtesy of news.com.au