Excerpt, Racing Post, last october.....
CHAPMAN has defended himself against criticism from a veterinary surgeon over his handling of Quito, the North Yorkshire trainer’s veteran sprinter with a strong public following.
John McKenna, who looks after the strings of Milton Bradley and Tony Carroll, claims in a letter to the Racing Post(see below) that continuing to run the popular nine-year-old after a long season borders “on abuse”. Quito, according to McKenna, “presented a sad spectre in the paddock“ before his 17th appearance of the campaign at Newmarket on Saturday.
Looking on that day, the Cheltenham-based vet later observed: “The horse had lost his neck, with his hindquarters falling away and his general listlessness clearly reflected a horse whose season was over - 50-1 SP rather supported this.”
McKenna went on: “I wonder what prevailed on connections to race this plucky competitor again 24 hours after his previous effort when last of 14, also at Newmarket?
“His mentors should look to their sporting and welfare considerations in this matter - I consider the foregoing to be bordering on abuse of a genuine horse who has already won twenty races.” Chapman, who excels with sprinters as the exploits of Chaplin’s Club and Glencroft proved, pointed out that Quito, beaten a neck by Reverence in last month’s Group 1 Betfred Sprint Cup, won the ‘best-turned-out’ prize at Newmarket on Friday, but failed to get the run of the race after breaking too sharply from the stalls.
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I'm not trying to start an argument here and if this man is some champion or whatever, great.
Sorry for feeling like maybe HE should be forced to race a few times now.
Poor Quito and i know, I know, he loved to race but once the number got around 113, 114 it got really scary.
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