Bag Limit over run of ills and spills

Press, 26 December 1987, Page 21

Bag Limit over run of ills and spills

NZPA-AAP Melbourne Bag Limit, the horse which has defied crippling injury and death in the past nine months, returns to racing at Moonee Valley this evening. Bag Limit will be making his first appearance since the Inter-Dominion Championship at Addington in early March. The gelding, which was unbeaten in both heats, had to be withdrawn from the final after shoulder and leg injuries failed to respond to treatment. On returning to Australia, the trainer, Bob Knight, took Bag Limit to the Werribee veterinary clinic to have him thoroughly checked over.

It was decided that rest was the best cure for the horse and Knight gave Bag Limit plenty of time to recover.

Knight set Bag Limit for his hometown trophy, the

Kilmore Cup, in October but the horse injured his leg in the paddock.

But worse was to come. The six-year-old contracted a virus that, according to his driver, Vin Knight, nearly claimed his life.

“He was really crook, he went from worse to worse and we thought he was going to die on us,” said Knight. The Knights spent a midnight vigil with the horse, nursing him back to health.

“It was touch and go. If he wasn’t such a tough bugger, I don’t think he would have made it,” said Vin Knight. Bag Limit has been to the trials twice this month for the wins at Bendigo and then Shepparton earlier this week.

On Saturday Bag Limit will launch his comeback in a sAustlo,ooo ($11,000) free-for-all at Moonee

Valley. Knight said the shoulder and leg complaints which troubled him last preparation were a thing of the past. “He looks magnificent,” said Knight. “He’s not a Poppy (Popular Alm) but he’s all heart. I’m just glad he’s back.”

A winner of $Au5t505,450 ($555,995) Bag Limit is being aimed at this year’s InterDominion at Harold Park in March.

Along the way he will contest the South Australian Cup at Globe Derby in January and then defend the Winfield Cup, which he won last year at Inter-Dominion champion Village Kid’s expense. In spite of his lack of race fitness Bag Limit is expected to register a first up win. He has drawn barrier seven but he is classes above his rivals.