On an afternoon when Britain’s National Hunt fans had expected to be looking for potential winners at the festival meeting in March, they left here hoping instead for positive news on Nicky Henderson’s Sir Gino. The most exciting prospect in the sport was pulled up with a suspected pelvic injury in the International Hurdle.
Sir Gino went into Saturday’s Grade Two contest as the clear favourite for the Champion Hurdle in March, having gone unbeaten in seven starts including a brilliant novice chase win at Kempton in December 2024. He was held up last of the four runners as Nemean Lion cut out the running and pulled up by Nico de Boinville shortly after jumping the third-last flight.
