Seven Barrows team praying for Fondmort
Nicky Henderson’s admirable chaser Fondmort is still fighting for his life after fracturing his pelvis in a routine gallop this morning.
The 10-year-old is suffering from internal bleeding and is currently in the care of the RVG Valley Equine Hospital in Lambourn.
“He had a wobbly time this afternoon but he’s stabilised better again this evening,” Henderson said in a statement to PA Sport.
“We’ve all been up to see him but it’s going to be a long night, and a long few days as well, I fear.
“Everybody’s behind him and he’s in safe hands.
“The two great things about him is he’s got two good assets – one is his temperament and the other, as we all know from the racecourse, is that he’s got a great will.”
The gelding was undergoing the finishing touches to his preparation for Saturday’s Paddy Power Gold Cup at Cheltenham, the scene of so many of his rousing triumphs, when he sustained the injury.
His last four victories have been at the home of National Hunt racing and he raised the roof when winning the Ryanair Chase at the Festival in March.
Fondmort also won the Paddy Power Gold Cup at Prestbury Park in 2003.
Henderson said: “We managed to get him from the gallops, where he was doing his last bit of work before the Paddy Power this morning.
“He was doing the same thing he has done so many times before and Vicky Pearce, who has looked after him all of his life, was riding him.
“This is desperate for his owners Bill and Tracy Brown and for everybody.
“He’s never missed a day’s work in his life.
“It’s going to be fingers crossed.”
