Following conflicting reports on Thursday afternoon, Katie Walsh is set to keep her ride in the Grand National, despite a heavy fall in the Foxhunters Chase at Aintree.
The Chair has claimed many victims over the years and as Distime made a mess of his landing following a leap over Aintree’s infamous fence, Katie Walsh was thrown from the saddle in the Foxhunters. Paul Nicholls will have been dismayed to see Walsh crash to the turf and looked on in horror as she was clattered by a following horse when attempting to protect herself on the ground.
Early medical examinations looked bad, with ITV claiming Walsh had suffered a broken arm in the fall and would be forced to give up her ride on Wonderful Charm in Saturday’s Grand National. Yet, less than an hour later, Walsh’s sister and agent, Jennifer Walsh confirmed to the gathering press that the injury was not as bad as first feared and she would be fit for Aintree’s main event.
“It’s all good. She got a kick from a horse following her and the doctors on the course initially thought she had broken her arm.” Jennifer told the Daily Mail. “Thankfully when she had the X-rays they came back 100 per cent clear, it’s just bruised. Hopefully she’ll still be able to ride on Saturday.”
Walsh is greatly looking forward to her run around the Grand National with Wonderful Charm, after the duo ran on well for second behind stablemate, Pacha Du Polder in the Foxhunters Chase at Cheltenham. If the bruises to her arm don’t hinder her performance too badly, Walsh will be extremely hopeful she can improve upon the third place finish she managed on Seabass in 2012 and maybe even become the first female jockey to become Grand National champion.
