SUNDAY MAIL (Adelaide, Australia) 12 November 06 Snake kills top racehorse (Tony Reed)

Top racehorse Marju Snip died of a suspected snakebite in the paddock of her trainer's Hahndorf property yesterday.

The mare, who won the Group 1 Australasian Oaks at Morphettville in May, had just returned from Melbourne after campaigning during the spring. Her last race was at Flemington on Melbourne Cup day.

She died within 20 minutes of being found lying on the ground hyperventilating when staff went to feed her yesterday morning.

Trainer Phillip Stokes said he brought the four-year-old home on Wednesday and sent her to his Hills farm on Thursday. Marju Snip was bought by Stokes as a yearling for $100,000, but following her win at the elite level she had the potential to be a $1 million broodmare after retiring. She won six of her 13 starts for prizemoney of almost $260,000.

"We had the vets come as soon as she was found, but unfortunately within half-an-hour of their arrival she had died," Stokes said. Marks found on her suggested a snakebite.

"The owners of this horse are very emotional at present; it is a very sad loss," Stokes said. "It is almost ironic that I have 30 horses at the farm and it just happened to be the best one that has been bitten."
Snake kills top racehorse

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• AUS Press: Snake kills top racehorse - W von Papineäu, Wed Nov 15 20:21:55 2006