Rajik put down due to injury suffered at Sagaro Stakes – Horse Racing Update

The race-horse Rajik, whose lifetime career consists of six victories including two Listed events, had to be put down after he sustained a severe injury to one of his legs in the Sagaro Stakes at Ascot on Wednesday.

Rajik was six years of age when he was put down and was trained by Charlie Swan. He spoke to reporters on Thursday morning about the tragic event and the saddening effect it had on him and his team. The trainer said that not only was he devastated, he was
also shocked and upset since Rajik had always been a tough horse, on top of being a good one. He said that Rajik had improved greatly in the previous racing season which is why he had been looking forward to enter him in the good staying races this year.

Swan also explained that the cause of the injury suffered by Rajik was him tearing the pastern of his off-fore [front right leg] badly. The split pastern went into the joint at the top and bottom end. The horse was seen by a veterinarian who revealed that
Rajik was not going to be able to race any more and also that he was going to suffer a lot of pain due to his wound. It was on “humane grounds”, the trainer tells reporters, that the horse just had to be put down.

The results of Wednesday’s race saw Rajik pulling up a mile and a quarter from the finish, showing that he was in much better form last year when he bagged the Listed Ballycullen Stakes at the Curragh and the Listed Oyster Stakes at Galway.

Rajik, who was owned by the Rathcoffey Racing Syndicate and was the offspring of Kalanisi, has been said to have performed his greatest feat in September, when he finished fourth behind Sans Frontieres in the Irish Field St. Leger at The Curragh.

Apart from his Listed level wins, Rajik has also had victories in four handicaps which include the Guinness Premier Handicap at last year’s Galway festival.