At the Vaal this afternoon, the Australian bred ACES UNITED, trained by Cape Town trainer, Justin Snaith, ran with a breathing device invented byDr. Ralph Katzwinkel of the Summerveld Equine Hospital.

The breathing apparatus allows horses to receive sufficient oxygen whilst running, thereby allowing the horse to run normally.

The horse was discovered to have had a rare condition, a fourth branchial arch defect, not detected when the horse is at rest. The chances of horses being born with the defect is one in ten thousand.

ACES UNITED finished in thirteen place, almost nine lengths back.