Tralee Rose injury not as bad as first feared after being galloped on during Melbourne Cup

Fears over the immediate future of staying mare Tralee Rose have been allayed after Warrnambool trainer Symon Wilde revealed the extent of her Melbourne Cup setback.

Connections of Tralee Rose have breathed a sigh of relief after the mare was cleared of serious damage after she was galloped on during the Melbourne Cup.

The five-year-old was sedated and rushed to hospital in Werribee following a ninth-placed finish in the Cup, after being trod on as the famous race passed the 300m mark.

Trainer Symon Wilde, Wilde Racing stable tweeted good news three hours after the race, declaring Tralee Rose has “no serious injuries”.

“There is a laceration to her hind leg that has been stitched,” the tweet read.

“She will spend the night at the Vet Clinic and return to our stable in Warrnambool tomorrow.”

Tralee Rose passes the post to win the Geelong Cup. Picture: Getty Images

Geelong-based connections entered the day eyeing a top-five finish and were left “deflated” when it was revealed why she faded to finish ninth.

While relieved their horse was cleared serious injury, the owners were left questioning how the Geelong Cup winner could have gone with a clean run as Verry Elleegant soared to a memorable win.

Update on Tralee Rose: After being seen by the team at Werribee Vet Clinic, Tralee Rose has no serious injuries. There is a laceration to her hind leg that has been stitched. She will spend the night at the Vet Clinic and return to our stable in Warrnambool tomorrow.

— Wilde Racing (@wilde_racing) November 2, 2021

A member of the ownership group behind the horse, Peter Fitzgerald said Tralee Rose had run a “tremendous” race to finish ninth under duress.

“The winner was magnificent and is a champion but we just wonder where would we have finished if (Tralee Rose) was OK,” Fitzgerald said after the race.

Connections of Geelong-owned horse Tralee Rose were in a jovial mood to start Cup Day. Picture: Alison Wynd

“It is gut-wrenching, she gave her all. She would have been running under duress and pain and everyone is a bit deflated.

“Everyone is really proud of her but is deflated, it is a crap feeling at the moment.

“The preparation has gone perfect the whole way through and today after 2700m where she is usually trucking into it (she couldn’t).

“We couldn’t believe that 500m out she was not trucking into it, we thought ‘this is not right’.”

A contingent of the Geelong ownership group had a sombre bus ride home from Flemington.

Geelong connections debriefed over a drink at the Belmont Hotel on Tuesday night.

Tralee Rose has history fighting through pain, having run fourth in the 3200m Adelaide Cup — the same distance as the Melbourne Cup — a with bone spurs in her leg.

A strong contingent of the Geelong ownership group had travelled to Flemington earlier in the day excited about their prospects before a sombre bus ride home.

The Geelong connections will debrief over a drink at the Belmont Hotel on Tuesday night.

Originally published as Tralee Rose injury not as bad as first feared after being galloped on during Melbourne Cup