Vets advised owners to put down Dandruff but brave galloper continues to thrive for trainer Toby Lake

Dandruff isn’t an equine superstar but the Tony Lake-trained galloper showed amazing guts and determination to live, let alone ticking off a significant milestone in his career at Wagga on Sunday.

Vets advised trainer Toby Lake to put down country galloper Dandruff as the gelding underwent surgeries for multiple sinus infections (right), but nature and time healed the horse (left), allowing him to become an honest stayer on the track. Picture: Supplied / Toby Lake Racing

Dandruff didn’t win at Wagga on Sunday, but the Bendigo galloper ticked off a major milestone for a horse that wasn’t expected to live long, let alone race as a six-year-old.

The Toby Lake-trained Dandruff broke through the $100,000 prizemoney threshold with his third placing in a 2000m race at Wagga, something the stable never thought would happen.

Luck deserted Dandruff as a young horse when multiple infections racked his facial structure, requiring surgeries just to save his life.

Racing wasn’t a thought as vets initially thought their efforts to keep Dandruff alive would fail.

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“He should be dead, this horse,” Lake said.

“He’s had two sinus operations, and he’s got a big chunk of bone missing out of his face.

“It was all infected and he had a bone infection as well.

“He also had a bit of bone sticking out.

“After a couple of operations, the vet advised the owners to put him down.”

Thankfully Lake and Dandruff’s owners didn’t immediately take veterinary advice.

Instead, they decided to let the gelding relax in a paddock while they worked out what to do with the son of Written Tycoon.

However, Mother Nature had a surprise in store for Lake a few months later.

Few thought Dandruff would live long enough to post an amazing maiden win at Swan Hill in April 2024. Picture: Racing Photos

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“Anyway, we just went back to nature, and he went out into the paddock with some young horses for about six months and we just forgot about him,” Lake said.

“We went out to the farm when the six months was done, and he trotted up to us in the paddock and his face had healed.

“It had all healed over. Sometimes time just heals everything.

“We brought him back into work and he’s been a great money-spinner ever since.”

Dandruff showed staying ability in his first few starts before achieving what was thought impossible a year earlier when he posted his maiden win in emphatic fashion at Swan Hill in April last year.

"Dandruff is head & shoulders above its opposition."

Poetry from Adam O to start the day 🎙️ @[e-mail]/r151ajTQdJ

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While not being a world beater, Dandruff posted a second win at Swan Hill last year and victories at Ararat and Albury this year.

“He’s just been an honest old horse and a few more of them would be great for any stable,” Lake said.

“He’s earned everything he’s got.

“He’s tough and he’s brave.”

Dandruff has survived multiple surgeries to earn more than $100,000 in prizemoney for his owners. Picture: Racing Photos via Getty Images.

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Lake said Dandruff has attracted his own following as he travels from his Bendigo base to tracks in Victoria and southern New South Wales.

There’s a great story behind all of them, but this horse has been amazing.

“He’s got a little bit of a cult following on the country circuit,” Lake said.

“Every time we’re at the races, everyone is asking about him.

“He’s just a ripper that old horse.”

Dandruff emerges from the back & runs away for an easy win in the last event at Ararat 👌 pic.twitter.com/XLBSWpXTwp

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Punters can expect to see Dandruff on a wet track in the coming weeks.

“We’ve been waiting for wet ground and now the rain has come, there’s plenty of options for him,” Lake said.

“He doesn’t take much work between runs, but we’re sort of weather-dependent with him.”

Originally published as Vets advised owners to put down Dandruff but brave galloper continues to thrive for trainer Toby Lake