Fantabulous King undergoes tie-back surgery

By Sharan Kumar

October 29, 2004

Kingfisher Bangalore Derby winner Fantabulous King will be out of action for a considerable period of time following an operation for wind problem. Fantabulous King who was the highest rated three-year old at Bangalore after winning the Derby, was always suspected to have a choking problem. Since he did not come under pressure when running freely in front in the Derby, he managed to win the Grade I event in July.

Jockey Pesi Shroff had always maintained that Fantabulous King was a ``choker’’ when he came under pressure. He ran below par in the Gr 1 Colts Trial Stakes where he finished down the field though he showed a remarkable turn about in the Derby. Shroff had said prior to the race that if Fantabulous King was not plagued by the choking problem during the race, he would win the Derby. And he was proved right.

Subsequent to his victory in the Derby, Fantabulous King was taken to Chennai for a treadmill test where a visiting Swiss specialist along with Dr Kartikeyan and Dr Hasneyn Mirza assessed the horse’s condition. It was decided by the team that Fantabulous King did not need an operation immediately and that it would be better to keep him in racing till such time the problem became more acute.

Fantabulous King, who missed quite a bit of work due to the treatment for an infection, was raced over nine furlongs at Mysore as a lead up race for the Poonawalla Mysore Derby but he flopped miserably. Last week, Fantabulous King was done a double tie-back operation by Dr Mirza at the Kehelan Stud Farm. Fantabulous King thus is unfortunately laid low by the setback which may well see him miss all the important action in winter. Pesi had said that his retirement from the saddle hinged on how far Fantabulous King progressed but since the talented son of Burden of Proof is out of action, Shroff called it a day and is soon to take up his new assignment as a trainer with a good base of Kunigal bred horses.

Fantabulous King