HONG KONG (AP) — Australian-bred racehorse Sacred Kingdom suffered a twisted bowel just before boarding a flight to Tokyo, sidelining the world's top sprinter from an upcoming race in Nagoya, a Hong Kong newspaper reported Friday.
A veterinarian who operated on the Hong Kong-based horse was quoted as saying in the South China Morning Post the surgery went smoothly.
Sacred Kingdom started acting up and kicking in his stable just before he was loaded onto a plane early Thursday and was rushed to a veterinary hospital, the Post reported.
"It was a typical twisted bowel. He's a lot better now. However, I'll be more comfortable after another 48 hours," the Hong Kong Jockey Club's head of veterinary clinical services, Chris Riggs, was quoted as saying in the report. "It was reasonably straightforward for something like this."
Sacred Kingdom was scheduled to take part in the Takamatsunomiya Kinen in Nagoya.
Owned by Sin Kang Yuk, Sacred Kingdom has won 15 of his 23 races, earning more than 37 million Hong Kong dollars ($4.8 million) in prize money. He has been ranked or co-ranked the world's top sprinter for three straight years.
Calls to the Hong Kong Jockey Club on Friday seeking comment went unanswered.
