Virus scare before Met

Respiratory infection results in horses scratched.

More than 200 horses will be competing for more than R21 million in prize money at Kenilworth on Saturday – but there is a ripple of fear going through the racing community because a couple of trainers have reported their horses are down with a respiratory infection.

Vaughan Marshall, who is based at Milnerton where a large number of the horses are due to run, scratched all of his horses from last Saturday’s race meeting due to a respiratory virus.

He was soothing afterwards, telling a Cape racing journalist: “It’s just a few horses that are affected and I did it as a precaution. We are taking no chances and we have also nebulised them all.” However, this is a race meeting every trainer targets for their best horses and months of planning has gone into their preparations – so most Milnerton trainers are on high alert.

Marshall trains the horse most consider the best three-year-old in the country, Tap O’ Noth, who is favourite for one of the big supporting features on the day, the R1 million Investec Cape Derby.

He reports the colt has so far escaped infection. Sabine Plattner’s private trainer, Andre Nel, who has seven horses due to run at the meeting, has brought in a virologist and is considering shutting up shop after his horses have battled with the infection for weeks.

The main feature on the day is the Sun Met. Johannesburg’s darling, Legal Eagle, is back to outright favourite with Betting World for the race this Saturday.

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