Nicky Henderson's Sir Gino, the unbeaten seven-year-old and ante-post favourite for the Champion Hurdle, was pulled up with a suspected pelvic injury during Saturday's Grade Two International Hurdle at Cheltenham. The gelding, who had won all seven starts including a novice chase at Kempton in December 2024, was held up last of four runners before jockey Nico de Boinville pulled him up after the third-last flight.
Henderson confirmed the injury is a fractured pelvis, but said the horse is comfortable and stable after being transferred to Three Counties Veterinary Hospital for scans and x-rays. 'The prognosis is guarded,' Henderson said in a statement on X. 'Further examinations over the next few days will determine the extent of the injury and any prognosis for the future. The fact that he's comfortable tonight is the most important thing.'
The race was won by The New Lion, trained by Dan Skelton, who beat Nemean Lion by a length and a half. Skelton expressed sympathy for Henderson's stable, saying: 'Sir Gino could be the best horse in training and we just didn't need that.' The New Lion was subsequently cut to around 5-2 for the Champion Hurdle.
Earlier on the card, Spillane's Tower, trained by Jimmy Mangan, won the Grade Two Cotswold Chase, beating L'Homme Presse. The eight-year-old was cut from 50-1 to 10-1 for the Cheltenham Gold Cup. The final race was delayed by 30 minutes due to a hole in the turf, and Henderson withdrew the likely favourite Act Of Innocence.
