Stem cell treatment for Platinum Invador after tendon injury in Brisbane

Classy stayer Platinum Invador has injured a tendon in Queensland and is coming home, his future uncertain.

The five-year-old turned in another promising run at Doomben last Saturday for owners Neville McAlister and Lincoln Farms but trainer Barry Lockwood noticed all was not well with the horse on Monday morning.

“He wasn’t lame and there was hardly any swelling but Barry, with all his experience, had an inkling and had him scanned,” McAlister said.

A hole deep in the horse’s tendon was discovered and McAlister says vet Tim Pearce has recommended trying stem cell treatment.

Platinum Invador won $448,360 from just 32 starts.“He’s easily the best stayer I’ve had so we’ll give it a try. Some come back and others don’t but this will give him his best chance.”

McAlister knows that with 12 months rehab and then a slow build-up it will probably be 18 months before the horse could race again.

As a five-year-old, under the care of top Awapuni trainer Lisa Latta, Platinum Invador had already earned a ranking as one of the country’s best stayers and he was on target for rich features at Eagle Farm in the next few weeks.

“He turned in another great run in the Chairmans on a track that didn’t suit him and I don’t know what happened, whether he stood in a hole during the race …

“He’d never been injured before in his life so it’s a blow but you just have to pick up and move on.”

Platinum Invador’s setback comes with a career record of four wins and eight placings from just 32 starts for earnings of $448,360.