The spring is rapidly slipping away from Ayrton, who will spend the next few days under observation in a veterinary clinic after a mystery swelling was found on his near-hind leg.
Co-trainer Mick Price said that after vet Dr David Shepherd examined Ayrton on Friday, it was decided to take the horse to the South Eastern Equine Hospital in Narre Warren so as to better assess and treat the condition.
It is believed the horse, who is being treated for an infection, may have been bitten by a spider.
“Dr Shepherd said that while the horse was stable, he wanted to be in front of any increase in infection, so we’ve sent the horse to the clinic as a precaution,” said Price, who trains in partnership with Michael Kent Jnr.
“He is responding OK to treatment thus far, but we are a bit concerned that we need to be in front of the infection rather than behind it, so they’ll keep him there for observation and more intensive treatment if needed.”
Ayrton was to be soon on his way to Sydney to run in the $1.5 million Epsom Handicap on October 2 but that race now looks well out of reach. Increasingly, so do other Spring Carnival targets such as a Cox Plate or Golden Eagle.
“I think that once you start treating horses with intensive antibiotics you begin to lose the benefit of the preparation,” Price said.
“I have my doubts whether the horse will, firstly, be in the Epsom and secondly, whether he continues this preparation or not, I have my doubts.”
