Star trotter defies the odds after life-threatening infection

Star trotter defies the odds after life-threatening infection Three weeks ago, talented Victorian trotter Vytis (Volstead) was not expected to survive the weekend – but on Friday, the Group One-winning gelding was happily trotting around his paddock. Warning: Graphic content It's an extraordinary turnaround for the horse known around the Meredith stable of Emmett and Richard Brosnan as 'Charlie', after a devastating tendon injury and serious infection left his future hanging by a thread. Emmett's sister, veterinarian Dr Virginia Brosnan, said the initial prognosis could hardly have been worse. 'He had split a hind tendon from top to bottom and somehow developed a severe infection in the tendon sheath,' Virginia explained. 'How, we will never know. There was no obvious wound and no history of an injection into the sheath to explain how the infection had occurred…we were told he wouldn't survive the weekend,' she said. 'His synovial fluid was pure pus. His white cell count was one million, the highest anyone had ever seen. If he went to surgery, we'd only just be saving his life. Maybe.' The Brosnan family took Vytis home knowing the odds were heavily stacked against him. But after seeking a second opinion, from respected Victorian colleague Dr Tom Russell, they decided to attempt a more conservative treatment approach. It was a decision that has so far produced a remarkable result. 'We got lucky,' Virginia said. 'The Staph that was cultured was relatively antibiotic resistant, but the two antibiotics we had him on were the two the Staph was sensitive to. That was a good start.' Vytis could scarcely have been in better hands. There are two veterinarians in the immediate Brosnan family – Virginia and Emmett's wife Bridie – and the gelding has required intensive treatment throughout the past three weeks. GRAPHIC IMAGE FOLLOWS: 'It's been a lot of work for all of us,' Virginia said. 'Ceftiofur twice a day, amikacin in the tendon sheath every second day, two flushes under general anaesthetic. 'He was lucky he landed in a stable with two vets in the family.' Then, little by little, the signs began to improve. The swelling reduced and Vytis gradually became more comfortable putting weight on the affected leg and walking. 'At a subsequent recheck we got told that he must have been dunked in holy water!' Virginia said. 'The treatment was working, he didn't need surgery, and we were allowed to have a little bit of hope for his future.' There is still a long way to go, and the Brosnans are taking nothing for granted. The tendon sheath is due to be retested this week to assess if the infection has been completely cleared. The family has also expressed its gratitude to equine surgeon Dr Tom Russell for his guidance throughout the ordeal. Vytis is already a particularly special horse to his connections. He provided one of trotting's more emotional Group One victories when he won the $75,000 Redwood Trotters Classic at Maryborough as a two-year-old in October 2024. The gelding is raced by Greg McCallum in partnership with Bridie Brosnan and Tony Lavrencic. For McCallum, that Redwood victory fulfilled one of the wishes left by his late son Steve, who died from cancer in 2016 at just 27. Harness racing and breeding was a passion for Steve, who prepared a bucket list for his dad before his death containing a number of achievements he hoped the family could one day accomplish. Winning the Redwood Classic was among the biggest. Vytis has recorded seven wins and 12 placings from just 26 starts, but for now thoughts of racetracks and feature races are a distant consideration. Last Friday instead brought a milestone of a different kind, when Vytis was allowed into a paddock for the first time since his ordeal, giving him the chance to move freely and begin breaking down adhesions associated with the injury. For connections, simply seeing Charlie trotting happily around his paddock was victory enough. 'To see him happily trotting around so soon after all this makes our hearts sing,' Virginia said. 'He continues to defy the odds.' From Terry Gange for Harnesslink