Tests have found Lochinvar Art was suffering a “minor viral infection” during Saturday night’s Ballarat defeat, with trainer-driver David Moran confident it will only be a short-term hiccup.
The reinsman joined RSN927’s Gait Speed to reflect on the third placing behind Major Times and My Kiwi Mate in the Flying Horse Takeaway Pace, which was billed as a final hit-out before a superstar showdown with Ride High at Shepparton this Saturday.
That clash is now on ice, with Moran saying Lochinvar Art required short-term treatment.
“He was a bit flat on the night, he sort of wasn’t himself and obviously we found a few little issues that we need to rectify there,” Moran told RSN.
“He had an elevated heart rate, which can mean a few things – can mean soreness, can also mean a virus or a respiratory problem.
“Sunday morning we scoped him to make sure he hadn’t had a bleed and that came back all clear, done a bit of a lameness exam on him and that came back reasonably good. And then we also run a bloods and yesterday afternoon the bloods came back about five o’clock and they were a bit ordinary.
“He’s got a viral infection. All we can do there is give him a few easy days and treat him accordingly with antibiotics and whatever else he needs, and get him right.”
Moran said the setback had put immediate plans on hold, but “I’d say he will bounce back pretty quickly”, and that includes no ill effects for the approaching Pryde’s EasiFeed Victoria Cup on October 10.
“It won’t affect him in anyway whatsoever, it’s a minor viral infection – it’s nothing too serious or too major. It’s not ideal, but something we can fix and probably a short-term fix rather than a long-term fix. He will be back very quick and doing everyone proud.”
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