Courtesy of Perth Racing


Gilded Venom the star of the recently completed Festival of Perth Racing, has lost his battle against a bacterial infection and has been euthanized at the Baldivis Veterinary Clinic.


Steve Wallace the man who trained Gilded Venom was typically philosophical this morning, when talking to perthracing.com.au


“He had 19 days of the strongest anti-biotics known to man and his white cell levels were still increasing. We had no other option then to end it all today.”


“It is terrible news for everyone especially for the owners Neil and Meryl who are pretty upset today.”


“But that’s racing and he gave us a wonderful ride over the Festival.”


Gilded Venom erupted on the Perth racing scene during the summer, winning the Group 3 Asian Beau Stakes, Group 1 Railway Stakes and the Group 2 CB Cox Stakes as well as finishing second in the Group 3 RJ Peters and the Group 1 Kingston Town Stakes.


The muscular son of Golden Snake amassed over $1.13 million in prize money earnings, in a six race blitz which saw his ratings jump from 86 to 114 and had him poised for national greatness, with a proposed Brisbane winter campaign which would have ended in Melbourne for the Spring Carnival.


“I was confident before he went for his break he would come back even better if we looked after him with a good spell.” Wallace said.


Wallace discovered that Golden Snake’s offside knee had swollen up on New Years day, a similar infection that he had sustained when he was a yearling.


He was taken immediately to the Baldivis Veterinary Clinic but the infection failed to respond to treatment.


“We will bring him back to Black Watch Stud and bury him here.”


Gilded Venom was by Golden Snake – Daughters Charm and was bred at Durham Lodge and finished with a career record of 20-8-6-2 for stake money earnings of $1.131 million.