Gina Miles suffered some nervous moments in the final horse inspection on Tuesday afternoon, Aug. 12, as McKinlaigh, lying in fifth place for the United States, was held for re-inspection. He passed upon re-inspection, as did Ringwould Jaguar, the only other horse to be held, for Sonja Johnson of Australia. The rest of the horses looked amazingly fresh, acting more like it was the first inspection instead of the final.

Sweden’s Keymaster, ridden into 23rd place yesterday by Magnus Gallerdal, wasn’t presented due to a hairline fracture of his right front leg. He arrived into the vet box off the course sound, but his connections later noticed that he was lame, initially thinking it was a tendon. X-rays revealed a hairline fracture of the pastern bone, and he underwent surgery the following day, Aug. 12, at the Hong Kong Jockey Club. Viktoria Carlerback, also of Sweden, did not present Bally’s Geronimo.

Peter Flarup of Denmark also withdrew Silver Ray. “We took the decision this morning,” said Flarup, who stood in 20th place after incurring just 13.2 time penalties on the cross-country. “It’s the toughest decision I’ve ever made. But I think this is the right decision. I’m thinking about my horse. He’s one of the best in the world.”