Five-star target for injured rider
British event rider Franky Reid-Warrilow is sidelined after breaking two vertebrae in a fall a home. Franky is aiming to recover in time to take her two top horses to Luhmühlen CCI5* in June. “I knew where the pain was; in my pelvis and spine and I knew they’re not good areas for injuries, but I could feel my legs and move, so I hoped it wasn’t too bad and just tried to wait it out [for the ambulance],” said Franky, who was found to have fractured the transverse processes (“wings”) of two lumbar vertebrae. “The paramedics were great. It took about an hour to move me, then the 45 minutes on Welsh country lanes wasn’t fun. The poor paramedic must have thought I was so rude as she was trying to make conversation to take my mind off it, but I do a bit of psychology and was thinking ‘mind over matter’, and listening to The Eventing Podcast!”
Constitution Hill’s scope
Constitution Hill at full stretch under Nico de Boinville clears the last on their way to winning the Unibet Champion Hurdle Challenge Trophy on day one of the 2023 Cheltenham Festival. Credit: Alamy
Doubts surround whether Champion Hurdle hero Constitution Hill will line up to defend his title at the Cheltenham Festival (12 to 15 March), following a sub-par performance in a racecourse gallop at Kempton yesterday (27 February). The Nicky Henderson-trained seven-year-old, who is unbeaten over hurdles, was scoped by the vet and the sample indicated a respiratory infection. Mr Henderson said the findings are “significant, but far from dramatic”, that the horse will start antibiotics immediately and that there are plans to re-scope him on Friday. “Both our own vet and the racecourse veterinary surgeon, who scoped him, feel we definitely have a chance of correcting this in time [for Cheltenham] and we will be doing everything possible to do so,” said Mr Henderson.
“Flying” horses at Paris 2024 venue
A horse from Apollo’s Fountain is lifted into place. © château de Versailles / D. Saulnier
A stunning video shared by the Palace of Versailles shows the golden horses of Apollo’s Fountain “flying” over the grounds as they are lifted back into place, following restoration. The 13 lead statutes that make up the historic fountain have been restored and re-gilded with gold leaf and are set to be back to their full, functioning glory well ahead of this summer’s Olympic and Paralympic Games.
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