THE life of Australia's most expensive yearling - Black Caviar's $5millon half-brother - hangs in the balance.
Known as Jimmy, the unraced two-year-old colt is battling potentially lethal hoof disease laminitis.
Jimmy's fate is expected to be known in the next 24 hours as owners hold "grave fears for the colt."
Jimmy's owners BC3 Thoroughbreds believe the colt was bitten by a white tail spider, sparking the infection.
Jimmy was floated to the Werribee Veterinary Clinic two weeks ago after failing to shrug off the infection.
Simon Marshall, of BC3 Thoroughbreds, said Jimmy "is in a critical stage of the development of laminitis."
Laminitis is an insidious disease which affects hooved animals. The condition claimed the life of former champion mare Sunline.
BC3 Thoroughbreds said Jimmy reacted adversely to antibiotics given to treat the original infection.
"BC3
is disappointed to announce that our Redoute's Choice x Helsinge colt,
known as Jimmy, has been suffering from an infected leg, believed to be
caused by a white tail spider bite," BC3 Thoroughbreds said in a
statement.
"He has been at the Werribee Clinic for the past two weeks where he has been receiving treatment.
"Unfortunately, during this time he suffered antibiotic derived diarrhoea and this has led to an onset of laminitis.
"While
we hold grave concerns for his welfare, he is receiving the best
veterinary care available from both Werribee Clinic and consultants from
around the world."
BC3's CEO Craig Cameron said, "We hope that the next 48 hours provides more positive news."
Flemington Equine Veterinarian, Tom Brennan said: "The next 48 hours is critical in determining his future."
Jimmy
holds the record as the highest-priced yearling ever sold in
Australasia after he brought $5 million at the Inglis Australian Easter
Yearling Sale in April.
BC3 Thoroughbred last year bought Jimmy's sister, Belle Couture. The filly is yet to race.
Trained by Team Hawkes, Jimmy is regarded as one of most valuable horses in Australia.
He
is a half-brother to turf idol Black Caviar, who retired unbeaten after
25 starts, and also closely related to multiple Group 1 sprinter All
Too Harder.
HORSES enveloped in flames bolted from a stable blaze that killed
five standardbred racehorses in a tragedy that has rocked the harness
racing industry.
A block of 16 stables was destroyed at Leeton Racecourse, in the NSW Riverina, about 4am (AEST) on Tuesday.One end of the block was already engulfed when fire and rescue crews arrived and firefighters burned their hands trying to open the metal latches to free five more horses.
"The radiant heat had just set their rugs alight and their tails alight and we were trying to extinguish them while we were getting them out," Captain Graham Parks told AAP.
"The horses were that stressed and stirred up they were knocking firemen over. It was just chaos."
The crew also worked to contain the fire from igniting three other blocks of stables just six metres away.
"To see animals trapped in a fire like that, that can't get out and can't help themselves. It's a pretty cruel way to go.
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Trainer Phil Maguire lost three horses in the blaze including Garry Kelly, a five-year-old champion gelding.
His daughter Martelle, 17, is studying for her HSC and drove the horse to eight wins.
"You couldn't put a cost on them," Mr Maguire's sister-in-law Del Cope told AAP.
"Garry Kelly was loved that much by Martelle. The special bond they had, she wouldn't have sold it if anyone offered a million dollars."
He also lost Centaury and Provence, while trainer John Kefford lost two horses - Candys Art and Captain Stapleton.
"You'd shake your head and say 'no one would deliberately do this' but strange things happen, don't they," Ms Cope said.
"It's traumatic for the whole harness racing fraternity. Everyone's just that shaken by it."
Three of the surviving horses suffered burns and at least one was transported to Charles Sturt University for a smoke inhalation check.
"Burns assessments in animals are always difficult but they are likely to survive," local veterinarian Brian Munro told AAP.
He said the horses would probably race again but "not in the immediate future".
"Standardbreds are a remarkably stoic - if it were thoroughbreds it might be a different story," Dr Munro said.
Two horses escaped the fire unhurt, he said.
The aged stables were built from old red gum hardwood and police are considering the fire as suspicious while they investigate the cause.
His daughter Martelle, 17, is studying for her HSC and drove the horse to eight wins.
"You couldn't put a cost on them," Mr Maguire's sister-in-law Del Cope told AAP.
"Garry Kelly was loved that much by Martelle. The special bond they had, she wouldn't have sold it if anyone offered a million dollars."
He also lost Centaury and Provence, while trainer John Kefford lost two horses - Candys Art and Captain Stapleton.
"You'd shake your head and say 'no one would deliberately do this' but strange things happen, don't they," Ms Cope said.
"It's traumatic for the whole harness racing fraternity. Everyone's just that shaken by it."
Three of the surviving horses suffered burns and at least one was transported to Charles Sturt University for a smoke inhalation check.
"Burns assessments in animals are always difficult but they are likely to survive," local veterinarian Brian Munro told AAP.
He said the horses would probably race again but "not in the immediate future".
"Standardbreds are a remarkably stoic - if it were thoroughbreds it might be a different story," Dr Munro said.
Two horses escaped the fire unhurt, he said.
The aged stables were built from old red gum hardwood and police are considering the fire as suspicious while they investigate the cause.