A horse trainer has lost a claim for £200,000 after accusing a vet of failing to identify an infection in a three-year-old rising star.
Equine medics were accused by Peter Crate of failing to detect that horse Sand Diego was suffering from a resistant superbug before the racehorse’s death.
Sand Diego had registered his first win just days before he was put down after a mysterious lump was discovered on his hind leg in 2020.
The High Court heard that a vet from the Surrey-based Shotter & Byers Equine Veterinary Services had examined the horse and concluded the lump was likely the result of a ‘knock’ – and did not prescribe antibiotics.
The judge found in favour of the vets but said they should not receive legal costs as there had been failings in the horse’s care.
Sand Diego (pictured) ran four races in a brief career before his death, including a win at Sandown Park in 2019
Mr Crate (left), 60, sued the veterinary partnership, including Barbara Portal (right), who performed the examination of the dead horse
Mr Crate, 60, sued the veterinary partnership through his company and lawyers representing him originally said the horse had been worth £325,000 – although they claimed only £200,000 during the trial in March.
He argued that the vets should have identified that the lump was a symptom of an antibiotic-resistant superbug in order to prevent the death of the racehorse.
But lawyers for the veterinary practice said the horse was a ‘goner’ and would not have survived to race again even with antibiotics.
Judge Clare Padley ruled in favour of the vets but said there had been failings in the horse’s care and did not award them legal costs, The Times reported.
She said the vet who had performed the examination, Barbara Portal, had been in breach of duty by applying a bandage to the horse’s swollen leg, which was likely to have sped up the infection.
Mr Crate said after the judgement that: ‘Mistakes happen, but unfortunately in this case,’ and said: ‘This case has proved my horse was completely let down’.
Sand Diego ran four races in a brief career before his death, including a win at Sandown Park in 2019.
