Group 1 winner Dubai Mile (Ire) (Roaring Lion) sustained an injury to his near-hind fetlock in a piece of work at Martyn and Freddie Meade's on Monday, and has been ruled out for the remainder of the season.
“We were preparing him to run in the [G2] Sky Bet York S. when he suffered a conjugal fracture on his near-hind fetlock, so it is an absolute tragedy,” Martyn Meade told the Press Association.
“We were giving him his last bit of work yesterday on our watered peat moss gallop, which was absolutely perfect for him, but it was just a complete freak accident. We managed to get him straight up [to] Newmarket, where he has been operated on and it has been pinned. That appears to be a success.
“However, he is clearly out for the rest of the season, I would think. It always happens to the best horses. You wouldn't believe it.”
The 3-year-old colt made his first eight starts for owner Ahmed Al Shaikh and trainers Mark and Charlie Johnston. Second in the G2 Royal Lodge S. at two, the chestnut improved to take the G1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud on bottomless ground to end his juvenile year. Trained by Charlie Johnston in 2023, his best performance from three starts this year has been a fourth in the G2 King Edward VII S. behind G1 Derby runner-up King Of Steel (Wootton Bassett {GB}).
After Royal Ascot, a half-share in Dubai Mile was purchased by the Meades' Manton Park Stud from Al Shaikh with a view to a future stallion career.
“We will have to assess how he recovers from that surgery and assess whether or not he will have a racing career or whether he will be going to stud,” Meade went on.
“It is heartbreaking really, also for Ahmad who is our joint-owner, who has been very good about it, I have to say. He has been very understanding. When it happens, it affects everyone, the lads who do them, they get very upset by it, understandably so. It is terrible for everyone. A huge blow.”
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
