Three horses required medical attention after the Grand National with Mr Vango remaining in equine hospital following a neck fracture at Aintree
Mr Vango was one of three horses who fell at Aintree on Saturday(Image: PA)
Health updates have been released on three horses injured during falls at the Grand National. Mr Vango, Top Of The Bill and Quai De Bourbon all needed to be assessed after falling down during Saturday’s race at Aintree, near Liverpool.
In a statement released on Sunday morning, Mr Vango’s trainer, Sara Bradstock, said she is hopeful the horse will ‘make a full recovery’ – but he remains in an equine hospital after sustaining an avulsion fracture in the neck.
The gelding, which fell at the sixth fence, was transferred to Leahurst Equine Hospital on Saturday evening, where he will remain until he receives a clean bill of health. Speaking to the Press Association, Ms Bradstock said: “We’re still at the equine hospital, he does have a small avulsion fracture in neck, but it is nowhere near the vertebrae of his neck.
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“We have to thank God and hopefully with a bit of a following wind he will make a full recovery. We’re looking after him very carefully and we will give him a CT scan before I bring him home.
“It could take a while, but hopefully he will be OK. If the CT shows we haven’t missed anything, he could be home by the middle of the week.I’m super careful and we won’t take any risks, but he’s here with his Shetland pony and they are both OK.
“There was a worry briefly last night, but we’re all a lot happier now and he’s moving around normally. I’m of course up here with him and Lily (daughter) is in with him giving him a brush.”
The trainer remains hopeful the tumble might not spell the end of her imposing chaser’s racing days. She continued: “There’s every chance he will be back next season, but there is a chip off the wing of his vertebrae so that has got to land in the right place.
“He’s happy, he’s moving his neck and the vets are quite happy with him at the moment. The CT will tell us if there is anything more sinister we haven’t found. But as things stand he could be back next year.
“He will be well looked after whatever happens and at worst he can go and live with his friend Coneygree. They would be some posse as they both think they are the king.”
In other news, Nigel and Willy Twiston-Davies’ Top Of The Bill was another horse examined on course after his tumble at the final fence.
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The incident saw his jockey Toby McCain-Mitchell – grandson of Red Rum’s trainer Ginger McCain – handed a 10-day suspension by stewards for not pulling up when the horse had dropped well behind.
The horse was reported to be ‘A1’ on Sunday morning by his training yard, who also witnessed Beauport throw off rider Sam Twiston-Davies during the Aintree marathon.
“Top Of The Bill is home and has trotted up sound this morning and his heart rate is back to normal, so all is fine,” said Willy Twiston-Davies. He’s absolutely A1. Our other runner Beauport is the same, so we’re all good.”
Willie Mullins’ Quai De Bourbon was the other horse assessed following his fall at the second fence, and was due to make the journey home overnight after the race.
