BRAIDWOOD trainer Richard Clarke made the heart-breaking return trip home last Friday minus his Gold Cup entrant Coolcat Dancer who had to be put down.
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The six-year-old was pulled up approaching the winning post by jockey Grant Buckley before being taken to the nearby Hume Equine Centre where it was confirmed the gelding had broken a sesamoid bone.
The horse was subsequently euthanized.
Southern Districts Racing Association stewards will hold an inquiry into the horse breaking down at a later date.
The distressing incident unfolded in front of a massive crowd lining the fence.
Coolcat Dancer was Clarke's first runner in a Gold Cup and his only horse competing on the day.
“He was just starting to make his run,” Clarke said.
“But I knew something was wrong when he started to really duck and bob.
“He was in a real good position, but it was not to be unfortunately.”
The Clarke family has a majority share in his ownership with the gelding coming off a third placing in the Canberra Cup at his previous start.
Clarke made the five-hour trip to Albury from his farm at Reidsdale, south of Braidwood, where he trains around 20 horses.
Coolcat Dancer was in career best form with four successive wins before his third placing in the Canberra Cup.
Meanwhile, apprentice jockey Chelsea MacFarlane was suspended for two instances of excessive whip use on Gold Cup day and will be sidelined until May 6.
MacFarlane pleaded guilty to using the whip 13 times aboard Flat Knacker winner Just A Bullet before the 100m mark which is eight more than permitted under the rules of racing.
She also pleaded guilty to using the whip 10 times aboard Overdue in the Gold Cup before the 100m mark.
A three-week suspension for weighing in light at the Corowa Cup started Saturday.
The Albury meeting scheduled for April 18 has been transferred to Corowa to allow for the resumption of the drainage upgrade at the track.
