Last year Andrew Hoy was within a whisker of winning the Rolex Grand Slam, but this year he’s had to withdraw both of his horses from the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton CCI**** (England).
The Australian had planned to ride Sue Magnier’s Moonfleet, last year’s Badminton winner and runner-up at the Burghley CCI**** (England), as well as the 2004 Burghley winner. But the 16-year-old Irish Thoroughbred suffered a partial paralysis of his left larynx, causing him to be unable to obtain sufficient air when under a high workload.
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He also withdrew Master Monarch, last year’s Rolex Kentucky CCI**** winner, due to a mild injury to his cervical cord, which caused a loss of stability in his limbs.
Hoy said that the injury to Master Monarch is not life threatening and that both horses are very happy but are unable to perform at their best at this time.
