Monika Ranger brings Next To Me back to scale after his recent win at Cambridge. PHOTO: Chanelle Lawson.
Next To Me survives bad reaction to viral medication - it was touch and go for a while
By Barry Lichter • 27 July 2022
Well bred three-year-old Next To Me is recovering at a Drury veterinary clinic after reacting badly to a viral medication.
Trainer Ray Green said he treated the recent winner on Monday with a commonly used drug he’d used hundreds of times.
“But in less than a minute he was in trouble and we had to send him to the vet hospital.
“He was in a bad way, and it was touch and go for him for a while, but he’s on the improve now and the vet thinks he could be well enough to come home on Friday.”
Green says it’s extremely rare for horses to react badly to the drug.
“It’s a medicine we always use for viruses - I’ve used a gallon of it. It’s the most commonly used remedy for viruses and secondary infections and is seen universally as safe.
“It was a bit of a worry but I spoke to Jenny Sonis, at Veterinary Associates, this morning and he’s turned the corner.
“He’s such a nice little horse and it’s a shame to see him compromised like that but I’m sure he’ll bounce back.”
Next To Me, a $200,000 yearling buy, won three starts back at Cambridge and turned in another cracking run there last week when coming from the rear for second to stablemate Frankie Major.
It’s the second recent scare Next To Me has given the Lincoln Farms camp - only last month there were fears he had damaged a tendon when a lump appeared on his leg, which turned out to be only a bang.
The Bettor’s Delight gelding is from the prolific winning family of Woodlands Stud’s the late Charlie Roberts, his dam Splendid Deal having produced, among others, Victoria Derby winner Maxim (12 wins) and NZ Oaks winner Splendour (8 wins).
Second dam Splendid Dreams, a half sister to Adore Me (26 wins, 1:47.7) and Have Faith In Me (41 wins, 1:49.6, $US1.5million), was the 2015-16 Broodmare of the Year and left the champions Christen Me (51 wins, 1:49.1, $US2.4million) and Dream About Me (25 wins, $1.4million).
More news in Harness
Prince Lincoln spearheads record-sized team for Lincoln Farms at Cambridge on Friday
Ray cautions punters with no lead this time for Jekyll and Hyde colt Prince Lincoln
Two (not so) secret weapons help Lincoln Farms to $29,287 payday at Cambridge
Deb dresses her latest ‘Copy’ weanling in white and he delivers a Major coup
Our runners this week: How our trainer rates them
Ray’s comments
Friday night at Cambridge
Race 1: Spirited Belle
4.46pm
Delany: “I saw she’d been punted but somebody must know something we don’t as I’ve been working her myself and, while she feels all right and hasn’t put the boot in like at Auckland, I think she’ll need the run. She hasn’t got any high speed but feels like she will stay. She has improved a bit but I’d be surprised if she won.”
Race 1: Lincoln Maree
4.46pm
“It’s always hard from these draws but she’s a tough mare who will make her own luck at some stage. She’s going well enough - her drivers have all been happy - and she’s a little warrior who tries like hell.”
Race 2: Major Copy
5.12pm
“He’s only two and very inexperienced but he feels like a good colt and there’s a lot of improvement in him. He certainly caught a lot of people’s attention last time. I don’t know how good he is yet but he’ll be right there.”
Race 2: Prince Lincoln
5.12pm
“If he can lead without having to do too much work I can’t see anything beating him. I thought he went great last start. He pressed the winner hard ’til the corner then just flattened out in the run home, but he had every reason to do that after all the work he’d done.”
Race 4: Spirit Of God
6.12pm
“She’s been undone by bad draws. If she led easily from three she’d be hard to beat as she’s a good front-runner.”
Race 4: Spirited Peggy
6.12pm
“We’ve had her for only two weeks but she’s seven now and has had her chance to win one. She has a bit of speed but I think she gets pulling so we’ve got the Hidez (compression) hood on her and plugged her ears up.”
Race 6: Copy N Paste
7.10pm
“We won’t see the best of him for another six months. He’s been a slow developing horse but is improving all the time and getting stronger.”
Race 6: Jessie Lincoln
7.10pm
“If I was having a bet on one of them in the race it would be her. She deserves to win one. Her last two have been really good - she just ran into one who was a bit slicker last time in Major Copy.”
Race 6: Lincoln Dealer
7.10pm
“He’s a bit one-dimensional - you’ve got to feed him track and let him run - so the second row draw is a big handicap. To his credit I was surprised he finished so close last time after all the work he did. When he gets a decent draw and crosses them they’ll know they’re at the races. He’s got a big motor and tries hard.”
Race 8: Rivergirl Bella
8.08pm
“She clawed her way to the front last time but had nothing left at the finish. That won’t happen this time and she should lead easily from one.”
Race 8: Angelic Copy
8.08pm
“She’s had terrible draws but has been going good races. The others last time were just better than her but this is a big drop in class. With the right trip she could get some of it at huge odds.”
Race 9: Sugar Ray Lincoln
8.35pm
“He’s not quick away from a stand but he won’t muff it completely. He steps from the front line and Peter Ferguson was quite happy with his last run.”
Race 9: Lincoln Wave
8.35pm
“He bombed the stand the first time but to be fair all those horses were rushing up at him from the back and that panicked him a bit. He’s on 10 metres this time so that won’t happen.”
