Heavy clouds yesterday hung over Mornington racetrack. So, too, heavy hearts. One mans dreams shattered in a moment of tragedy.1
On the eve of Melbourne's greatest racing carnival, a tragedy unfolded. Devastation would be its companion.2
The Melbourne Cup was a pipedream to most trainers and owners, especially the ones who had to fly their horses over twelve thousand miles 'down under' to compete; spend over eighty thousand dollars to get here and spend two weeks in quarantine before they could even attempt to gallop the horse upon Flemington's grand turf.3
David Elsworth had come from England with his star horse Wunderwood in an attempt to emulate the canny Irishman Dermott Weld and steal the cup prize from the locals. Weld had done it twice with Vintage Crop and Media Puzzle. They became the benchmark for others on the far side of the world and many came to Melbourne to try their luck. The mighty Godolphin team with their European bred thoroughbreds, the English, Irish and Americans.4
A two mile race run at breakneck speed against local horses and jockeys who had made this racetrack their own yet it didn't deter David Elsworth.5
All had not gone to plan since Wunderwood had arrived at Sandown quarantine stables, before a word had been said in anger the horse had developed a hoof abcess and his work had to be curtailed to mere walking. Local vet John Bowers had attended to the problem and the horse seemed to be picking up steadily day by day. Wunderwood's human mate and track rider, Tony Proctor, cared for the horse as any mother would a baby. He nursed him through the injury and was never far from the horses side. I suppose the trainer had begun to doubt the wisdom of his journey yet the horse responded and was floated to the nearby Mornington racetrack for a serious hitout before the time honoured race.6
The track gallop started off as normal with Wunderwood joined by two companions for a gallop around the seaside track but by the 300metre mark, confusion reigned and the realisation hit home. Wunderwood was in trouble, serious trouble.7
Tony Proctor had leapt from the horse, he knew things had gone horribly wrong and he stood by the horses side frantically signalling for help. One look at the bay's nearside foreleg confirmed his worst fears. He held the horse as still as possible, keeping him calm, comforting him.8
As time ticked agonisingly by, Tony never stopped caring for his best mate. Loyal to the end.9
Trainer and vet arrived virtually together as Wunderwood stood bravely upon his three good legs. It was immediately apparent to Elsworth and Bowers that there was only one humane course of action, gut-wrenching as it was. Both trainer and vet aimlessly headed off in different directions whilst Proctor slumped inconsolably over the running rail. The pain and sorrow etched graphically on the faces of everyone told the sad tale of horsemen who had lost a loved one. That's the unmistakable bond between horse and handler.10
All who witnessed Wunderwood's sad fate were left frozen. It was a numb, sinking, sickening feeling that reminds you that racing is much more than just glitz and glamour. It is brought home all too chillingly when the green hessian sheet appears to cloak the vet and his sad task from view.11
Racing, alas, has its dark side, where heartache, such as what befell Wunderwood, rips away your insides and leaves you empty.12
The trainer would return to England with unfulfilled dreams that still burned inside him, certain to try once more on racing's grandest stage. The strapper would go home without his best mate who was now destined to spend his eternal rest in a foreign land with only a plaque to remind us of his deeds. And the world would be without another of God's majestic thoroughbreds. Born to run, bred to win; yet sometimes our dreams remain just that....dreams and no more. Upsetting days such as this put everything in perspective.13
R.I.P WUNDERWOOD14
Interred by the racing community at 'Living Legends' Park, Melbourne where all can come and pay their respects to a grand galloper.
Author notes
This story occurred on November 2nd in Melbourne, Australia and it was with heavy heart that I felt the need to pen the story amid all the excitement of the Melbourne Cup carnival one still can spare a thought for those who will not be there to compete.
Please tell me what you think
Comments
1 - 9 of 9
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This is a well written but sad story of a dream lost and a horse called Wunderwood who the was the very fabric of the dream. I think horses are without doubt one of the most graceful and beautiful of creatures that god decided to create...they are magnificent beasts. You might want to watch your spelling though..."One mans dreams shattered in a moment of tragedy...man's requires an apostrophe...plus "Tony Proctor had leapt from the horse, he knew things had gone horribly wrong and he stood by the horses side"...horse's requires one too! And..."Mornington racetrack for a serious hitout before the time honoured race."...time-honoured requires a hyphen. You have a real feel for writing
R
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Oh gosh now you're looking at some very old and unedited stuff I put on here lol..*hangs head in shame
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This is quite good honestly. And sorry, (see it happens to all writers) I meant to say punctuation not spelling ;o)
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A sad tale indeed
This is heart wrenching tale. Anyone who has a pet, let alone a majestic animal such as Wunderwood, knows the sorrow of losing such a friend.
Your writing is good, although I was a bit confused at the start. I tink you tried to put too many facts and too much technical jargon into such a short recounting. I guess you wanted to keep this as short as you could, but it would have been clearer and easier to follow with less information to start with. A little more simplistic background - on both the charater (horse and people) and the racing event, would have made it easier to follow. You did convey the essential story however, and your style is clear. Overall, good sentence structure, good imagery, and the descriprtion of the emotions of the trainer, rider, and owner were very good - I fet their pain, and I really felt sad for them all. Thanks for this bit of equestrian lore!
beginning: 3, language: 3, plot: 3, ending: 3, dialog: 2, characters: 3.
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This is a sad story. Well written and lovingly told.
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i dont know what to say
it wouldnt be right to call it a great piece of writing because of its nature and ethics and it wiould also be morbid to do any critisism for the same reason. passionate and portrays the jockeys loss well, but it really isnt supossed to be about how good the writing is, its the subject -
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hinds
Thanks Hinds, it's been awhile since I felt the need to write but with our Melbourne Cup carnival here and the sadness of it all it was a worthy piece.
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Two weeks in quarantine, Wow that sounds outragious. I'm assuming that really how long it takes.
Do they still do that to horses? No the tragidy of it all.
Wonderful yet again. Felt for this horse and his trainer. You have not lost the knack of the good yarn.
Great to see you back.
~Brooke~
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Syren
Unfortunately they need the two weeks to adjust, but its pleasant they have set up a quarantine stable at Sandown racecourse where they can at least walk on grass and see the sky, not tiny little cement stalls. It was such a shame but the horse was in great pain so they had to put him down straight away. He shattered the leg in 3 places.
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