FROM TRACK AND STABLE

Taranaki Daily News, 20 October 1933, Page 4

FROM TRACK AND STABLE

CHATHAM’S GREAT RECOVERY. VET.’S CONFIDENCE JUSTIFIED. After Chatham failed at Melbourne in the autumn there was a firm conviction in most quarters that his racing days were over, and that his wind trouble would compel his retirement from the turf, writes Chiron in the Australasian. When I was in Sydney in the autumn everybody I met was emphatic in the belief that Chatham was definitely a “roarer,” but, although Mr. Blair held out against the popular opinion he was beginning to feel that perijaps the majority was correct in its view. On the third day of the Sydney Cup meeting I met Mr. Blair in the paddock at Randwick, and he was then in a much more hopeful fi-ame of mind, as on the previous day he had called in Mr. Stuart Pottie to see the horse, and he had taken a much more favourable view of the condition of Chatham. Chatham had been galloped over seven furlongs at his top, and, as Mr. Blair put it, he “made plenty of noise.” After Chatham had pulled up Mr. Pottie expressed the opinion that the’ horse was not broken-wind-ed, and never would be. Mr. Pottie took charge of Chatham and treated him for eight days, and declared him to be cured. Chatham was then turned out for a spell of a few weeks, and then returned to the care of F. Williams, to be trained for his spring engagements. He can still make a noise through his nose when walking, cantering, or galloping, but he does not now choke as he did before he underwent treatment.

Roaring is caused by ft paralysis of the laryngeal muscles, but that was not the ease with Chatham. His affection is attributed to over-richness of the blood. He is a great feeder, and, with an excess of grain which his appetite demanded, he was making too many red corpuscles. The blood became too thick and rich. The circulation was retarded. Consequently the lungs did not get a sufficient supply of fresh blood to pick up the required oxygen, and, being of exceptional lung capacity, the horse exerted his lungs to the limit to get the necessary oxygen, and, with only the nasal canals available, the air whistled as he inhaled and exhaled. Further trouble resulted from the heavy blood affecting the kidneys and the liver, it being too heavy to be properly dealt with by these organs. The accuracy of the diagnosis and the efficacy of the treatment are demonstrated by the fact that Chatham has won his four races this season, one of them being the Epsom Handicap carrying 9.10. I wonder whether many other horses who have in the /past been branded as “roarers” were not in reality affected in a manner similar to Chatham.