Nicky Henderson has said there is “every chance” that Sir Gino can recover from the fractured pelvis he suffered at Cheltenham on Saturday.
The six-year-old was pulled up by Nico de Boinville in the Grade 2 Unibet Hurdle on Trials Day and was immediately attended to by the on-course vets after breaking down following the third-last flight before he was able to walk into the horse ambulance. The race was eventually won by The New Lion.
Sir Gino was taken to Three Counties Equine Hospital in Tewkesbury and spent the night under observation. After multiple scans and X-rays, it was found he sustained a fractured pelvis.
(Image: Getty Images)
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Henderson gave an update on Sir Gino’s condition on Saturday night, saying the Joe and Marie Donnelly-owned hurdler was “comfortable” and “stable”. The six-time Champions Trainer has since issued another update on Sunday.
Speaking to the Racing Post, he said: “George Daly [assistant] has just been to see him and has sent me a photograph of him.
“He’s had a comfortable night, although there was a bit when he wasn’t. There are two fractured lines, but he’s comfortable and he’ll stay there for a few days until he’s able to move, and then he’ll come back to Lambourn.
“There’s every chance he could make a good recovery, but the poor boy spent most of last year in hospital, and he’s going to spend most of it there this year as well. He wants to be at home, and everyone is doing everything they possibly can.”
Henderson confirmed that Sir Gino will miss the rest of the season and admitted it will be a long time before any possibility of the star hurdler returning to action can be considered.
He added: “He won’t race again this season. I think it’ll be many months before we know whatever the future holds for him, but horses do mend from this. It’s a long one, though. Pelvic injuries are, unfortunately, not a rarity, but how and what he did nobody will ever know. We’ve just got to hope and pray.
“They didn’t unload him on the racecourse because they wanted to get him straight to the hospital. He’s done very well and, so far, everyone is happy with how he’s coping with it. He’s in safe hands, but the sooner we can get him home, the better.”
Sir Gino’s promising career has been majorly held back by injuries and health issues after he missed the 2024 Cheltenham festival due to suffering an infection in the ligaments in his near hind leg.
“He spent six weeks of last season in hospital and he came out of it remarkably well,” Henderson said. “This is the opposite hind leg to the problem we had last year, and it’s completely unrelated.
“He’s a poor boy and he doesn’t deserve it – neither do the Donnellys or anyone else for that matter. Everyone’s pretty shook, but everyone has been wonderful with their messages of support.”