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Sir Gino, one of the country’s most popular horses, is facing another battle for survival after he contracted a virus while recovering from a fractured pelvis.
There were fears Sir Gino had suffered irreparable damage when he was pulled up in the International Hurdle at Cheltenham on January 24 but racecourses vets attended to him quickly and he was able to be transferred to Three Counties Equine Hospital in Tewkesbury.
His rehabilitation was always going to be slow but the unbeaten six-year-old, who was hot favourite to win next month’s Champion Hurdle, is being treated for a second serious issue – the cruel twist is he has fallen ill a year to the day after he contracted another infection that threatened his life.
Nicky Henderson was preparing Sir Gino, who is owned by Joe and Marie Donnelly, to run at Newbury 12 months ago when he became unwell; the gelding successfully responded to treatment and his trainer is praying history will repeat in a positive way. The situation, though, is dangerous.
‘Poor old Sir Gino – he looked like he had the world under control,’ said Henderson, who was at Huntingdon to watch the hugely promising Act Of Innocence win the Sidney Banks Hurdle as a warm-up for a trip to Cheltenham Festival.
‘The fracture is OK but we have got to keep on top of everything. Life is never easier. He gets no luck, none whatsoever – and if ever a horse deserved a change of luck, it is him. It’s ridiculous – we have got the best horse in the world and we can’t do anything with him.
Sir Gino has contracted a life-threatening virus while recovering from a fractured pelvis
‘He is still at the vets. We are trying to get him home but we will only be able to do that when our vets and their vets are in agreement. I will just be happier when he is closer to us. The infection is internal, as it was last year, and we are just going into a different battlefield.’
Henderson is understandably concerned and right to raise the ill-fortune Sir Gino has experienced – he was also ruled out of Cheltenham in 2024 when hot favourite for the Triumph Hurdle – but there was some solace in the performance of Act Of Innocence.
Owned by Gordon and Su Hall, he motored away from his rivals to earn quotes of 10/1 from Paddy Power for the Turners Novices Hurdle. The same owners also have Old Park Star, who is favourite to win the opening race of the Festival, the Supreme Novices Hurdle.
‘They are two gorgeous horses,’ Henderson purred. ‘I couldn’t fault anything that I saw from him. We were thinking and hoping we would see that from him. I would have liked to put him away to go over fences next season but, after that, I’m going to be able to! He has got the lot.’
