Caulfield and Melbourne Cup contender Riff Rocket underwent emergency colic surgery overnight, ruling him out of the 2024 Spring Carnival.
Trainer Chris Waller confirmed this morning that the surgery was successful.
“The early signs are promising, but the next few days will obviously be very important for his ongoing health and survival, which is our main concern,” Waller said.
“He is at the South Eastern Equine Hospital, who have done a fantastic job working through the night. They found the impaction in his large colon, which has been relieved. Our thanks go out to them, as well as our stable vet and staff who picked up the issue early.”
Waller also expressed his concern for the horse’s future: “Our thoughts are with the horse and his connections at this time, and hopefully, he will make a full racing return in 2025.”
Riff Rocket had been among the entries for Saturday’s Group 1 Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) at Flemington.
The standout three-year-old of the 2023-24 season, he had been nominated for all the major spring races.
Before being withdrawn, he was a $9 chance for the Caulfield Cup, $18 for the Cox Plate, and $21 for the Melbourne Cup with horse racing bookmakers.
Riff Rocket has secured seven wins from 12 starts, earning over $3.5 million in prize money, including victories in last season’s ATC Australian Derby, Rosehill Guineas, and VRC Derby.
Horse racing news
