Xcellent a once in a lifetime horse
Sunday, 20 January 2008:
Paul Moroney tried to put up a philosophical front on Sunday as he confirmed the retirement of star galloper Xcellent.
Moroney, who trains in partnership with his Melbourne based brother Mike, said Xcellent's racing career was over after he broke down following his win in the Group Three Trentham Stakes on Saturday.
Xcellent was transported on Saturday night to the renowned veterinary clinic at Massey University in Palmerston North. But the vet report was not good, Moroney said.
"He has a severe suspensory damage in his left ankle and a couple of bone chips at the front of the fetlock," Moroney said.
"They have said in their opinion it is a career-ending injury. The damage is severe.
"I think we just have to face the facts that Xcellent's stellar career is over."
Saturday's incident completed a sad two days for the Moroney stable.
On Friday, the stable's former top two and three-year-old Jokers Wild was put down in Melbourne after failing to recover from a blood infection.
Paul Moroney said he would try to put the two events behind him when it came to the routine of trackwork at Matamata on Monday.
"Tomorrow morning you get up and you go to the training track and there's 55 other horses there to be trained and nurtured through their racing careers," he said.
"Life goes on but certainly losing two horses like that leaves a big hole in the stable. But you just have to put it behind you and carry on."
There was, however, a lump in Moroney's throat as he spoke of Xcellent who was cut down in his prime by tendon injuries after finishing third in the 2005 Melbourne Cup.
"He was a once in a lifetime horse, especially after what we had already been through," he said.
"The disappointing part, I believe, is we never saw what he was truly capable of.
"While he was described as a freak and super star earlier in his career, he probably missed the best two years of his career."
Xcellent was sidelined from racing for 20 months with the tendon injuries and then incurred a shoulder injury when being prepared for spring racing last year.
Moroney said Xcellent was the most talented horse with whom he had been associated.
"Without any doubt. To win at Group One level from 1400 to 2400 metres and to be placed in a Melbourne Cup at just his ninth start - he was just an absolute freak."
Xcellent won the 2004 New Zealand Derby (2400m) and the following year took out the first leg of the Hawke's Bay Group One spring treble, the Mudgway Stakes before scoring in the third leg, the Kelt Capital Stakes (2040m).
Two starts later he was third to Makybe Diva in the Melbourne Cup.
This season he suffered his only defeat from nine starts on New Zealand soil when second to Sir Slick in the Zabeel Classic at Ellerslie on December 26.
His overall record is 13 starts for eight wins, one second and one third.
Moroney said a splint had been placed on Xcellent's injured left front leg which would enable to the horse to be sent home on Monday. The recovery period could be up to six months.
"We'll probably get him back up to Matamata tomorrow and care for him at the stable for a couple of months and another four months in a confined space.
"It's going to need a lot of management to heel the injury to a stage where he can have quality of life, where he can get out and be in a paddock like a normal horse."
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