ARALDO was euthanised on Tuesday night after shattering a pastern in his off hind following a freak accident after the Melbourne Cup.
Racing Victoria chief veterinarian Dr Brian Stewart released a report with the notification that Araldo had been euthanised at the University Of Melbourne Veterinary Hospital in Werribee.
Dr Stewart treated Araldo, which finished seventh behindProtectionist, on the course before he was taken to Werribee.
“The horse received immediate veterinary care and was transported to the University of Melbourne Veterinary Hospital, however, sadly the fracture in its pastern was not repairable,” Dr Stewart said.
“The owners made the decision to humanely euthanise Araldo in the best interests of the horse.”
Dwayne Dunn, who rode the Mike Moroney-trained horse, said Araldo was “spooked” on return to the mounting yard by a punter waving a “big Australian flag.”
Dunn said a shocked Araldo put his leg over a rail in the rose garden. “There’s a bit of timber underneath the roses and he got his foot over that and in between the rail
“He twisted badly on it,” Dunn said.
“I thought he had shifted a shoe and it was sticking in his foot, but obviously it was more than that.”