A prominent contender for the Royal Ascot has encountered an unexpected injury while preparing for her final race before the prestigious event.
Lady Of Camelot, trained in Australia by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, has amassed nearly £3 million in earnings as a successful sprinter, notably winning the 2024 Golden Slipper.
The decision to participate in this year’s Royal Ascot was made months ago, with Lady Of Camelot set to compete in the King Charles III Stakes and Queen Elizabeth II Stakes as an 8-1 and 10-1 contender, respectively. Her last race before heading to the UK was planned to be the Doomben 10,000 in Brisbane, Queensland.
Unfortunately, she had to be withdrawn from Saturday’s race and subsequently from Royal Ascot after sustaining an injury during a routine beach exercise.
Local stewards reported that Lady Of Camelot suffered wounds to her near foreleg from a stingray encounter during a morning swim. The mare received immediate treatment from the stable veterinarian, with updates on her condition to follow.
The owner’s statement from Go Bloodstock Australia confirmed her withdrawal, mentioning that the mare was stung by a stingray in an unexpected incident. She was transferred to a specialized veterinary hospital for close observation, leading to the decision to end her Brisbane Winter Carnival and international campaigns.
A team spokesperson expressed disappointment over the turn of events, emphasizing Lady Of Camelot’s exceptional talent and the priority of ensuring her well-being and recovery.
Lady Of Camelot was not the only Australian-trained sprinter to be ruled out of Royal Ascot entries on that day, as Generosity, trained by Chris Waller, was also withdrawn. Despite these setbacks, trainers like Waller and Bjorn Baker are still set to be represented by other contenders at the royal meeting.