Subzero makes welcome return to Salisbury's property at Heathcote 

Hours after cheating death, Subzero was lapping up life in his favourite paddock at Salisbury’s Heathcote property.

“He’s very happy to be home,’’ Salisbury said of his best mate Subzero.

“He had been locked up in a box for three days down at Werribee at the vets and he doesn’t like being in a box.

“He’s in his own paddock and he’s got seven other horses in the paddocks around him... that’s what he likes.”

Subzero, the much-loved 1992 Melbourne Cup winner, lost 80kg in the past fortnight as he battled a renal problem and Salisbury feared his favourite horse might die.

“It was touch and go there for a while,’’ Salisbury said.

“Where the bowel was trapped betwen the spleen and the kidney, the spleen had dropped on to the wall of his stomach and it swelled.

“You couldn’t see the kidney or the part of the bowel that was trapped.

“The vets couldn’t give me an answer and the longer it went the more danger the horse was going to be in.

“They ended up putting a camera up through his rectum and they found the problem.

“We then had to get him off his feed to reduce the bowel movement and try and get the spleen down.

“Thankfully, both the kidney and the spleen didn’t get damaged.”

Salisbury expected the 25-year-old gelding to make a full recovery.

“He’s on antibiotics and I’m going to send him up to Shepparton to a nice agistment property for a month or so,’’ Salisbury said.

“Apart from this issue he’s been as healthy as a trout.

“His blood counts have been perfect.”

Since retirement from racing and clerk of the course duties, Subzero has touched the hearts of Australians. 

“We visit about 100 schools and 25 retirement villages each year everyone loves him,’’ Salisbury said.

“He does some charity work and three or four appearances at Crown Casino each year... last year he had Hugh Jackman on him a couple of times.

“Subzero loves it... it won’t be long and he’ll be back out there visiting everyone.”