Grand National hero on the mend

Youllneverwalkalone, the horse that broke a leg in this year’s Martell Grand National, has been discharged from the University of Liverpool’s Philip Leverhulme Large Animal Hospital two months after receiving life-saving surgery.

The bay gelding, who is ownedby J P McManus, was immediately taken to the equine hospital at Leahurst after breaking his off foreleg during the race on 5 April.

Orthopaedic surgeon Dr Ellen Singer and her team used 10 bone screws to stabilise the damage to the cannon bone and Youllneverwalkalone has spent nine weeks recuperating under the watchful eyes of the veterinary team.

The X-rays have confirmed that the bone is healing well and he is being allowed home under strict orders to take it very easy. The university team is delighted with the gelding’s progress to date.

Ellen says: “Youllneverwalkalone has been a perfect patient, and that’s been so important in the post-operative period. His jockey, the racecourse vets and the horsebox driver did a great job in getting him to Leahurst, where we were able to stabilise the fracture. Now he needs to rest and stay sensible while the bone completely heals.”

Youllneverwalkalone will need further X-rays later in the summer to check his progress as all leg fractures are extremely serious and take considerable time to heal completely.

A spokesperson for the Martin’s Town Stud in Ireland says: “Youllneverwalkalone is expected home in the next day or so and once here he will be treated like a king.”

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