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AP – Presuming the hurdles are the same ones used at Kelso, Musselburgh and Perth then they are provided with perfectly adequate stakes and, if properly knocked into the ground, should not be flattened as easily as they were at Aintree. I watch the staff at Kelso, Musselburgh and Perth from close up on a regular basis and after each flight is jumped the staff are out with the sledgehammer to ensure the flights are knocked back into position for the next circuit.
Mr Vango remains in equine hospital but reported to be doing well
Last Updated: Sun 12 Apr 2026
Mr Vango remained in equine hospital on Sunday, but trainer Sara Bradstock is hopeful her stable star will “make a full recovery” following his fall in the Randox Grand National at Aintree.
The popular gelding was one of three of the 34-strong National field to undergo expert veterinary assessment in the racecourse stables having departed the race at the sixth fence.
He was taken to to Leahurst Equine Hospital on Saturday evening, where he will stay until given a clean bill of health, but his Wantage-based handler issued a positive update on the 10-year-old’s well-being, keen to stress he is receiving the utmost care and attention.
Bradstock told the Press Association: “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. 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 Grand National has been a race always on the agenda for the stamina-laden Mr Vango, who was narrowly touched off over the famous fences in the Becher Chase back in December.
And Bradstock is optimistic the fall might not be the final act of her strapping chaser’s career.
She added: “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.”
Nigel and Willy Twiston-Davies’ Top Of The Bill was another to be assessed on course following his fall at the final fence, which resulted in his jockey Toby McCain-Mitchell – the grandson of the Red Rum’s trainer Ginger McCain – receiving a 10 day ban from the stewards for failing to pull up when the horse had tailed off.
He was described to be “A1” on Sunday morning by his training team, who also saw Beauport unseat his rider Sam Twiston-Davies in 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. He was scheduled to return home overnight post-race.Very positive news surrounding all three of them. Too bad there is just one Leahurst Equine Hospital. Imagine horses sustaining similar injuries at smaller tracks, but not quite getting the treatment options they have on offer at this hospital.
Great to have a positive update, keeping everything crossed he makes a full recovery. Good to hear his Shetland pony friend is looking after him too!
It’s worth noting for those wanting the good old days back that Mr V would have landed on his neck or worse .
I don’t know if it was by design or the fact that the National had so many inexperienced horses in it but i think they got the fences just right.
The modern National has horses running who have only run in the same amount of races in their lives compared to runners in the 70s and 80s that had run in the same amount of races that season.Are there any updates on Mr. Vango? The other two fallers left the Hospital the very next day, but I’ve seen no updates regarding Mr. Vango.
Pretty sure on ITV Racing Saturday they said he was recovering and possibly back home but not sure on the last bit.
The more I know the less I understand.
Mr Vango has indeed returned home to Sara Bradstock’s to continue his recovery. I read that they have set up a baby alarm in his stable so that he can still be monitored at night.
There was also some nice footage of Quai De Bourbon on ITV’s Home Schooling feature on Saturday. He was shown running in a field looking none the worse for his unfortunate experience in the National.
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