'He pulled up and then bang' - Buzz fractures pelvis in gallops accident

Long Walk Hurdle favourite Buzz suffered a fractured pelvis in his final preparation on Friday morning and will miss Saturday's Grade 1.

Trainer Nicky Henderson stressed the importance of the seven-year-old avoiding an internal bleed in the next 24 hours.

The seven-year-old won the Cesarewitch on the Flat in October and continued his good form back over jumps last month when winning the Coral Hurdle at Ascot.

Buzz had been the general 2-1 favourite for the Long Walk with Thyme Hill next in the market before the injury news at 5-2. Henderson is still set to be represented in the race with Champ and On The Blind Side.

Henderson said: "He was just pulling up at the end of our all-weather gallop. It was a routine canter we do with every horse the day before they run. He was within a hundred yards of the end and then bang.

Long Walk Hurdle racecard and betting

"He has fractured, we don't know exactly what, but it's in the pelvic region.

"The wing of the ilium is the most common fracture but it doesn't really matter. The most important thing is that he stays as still as possible. The danger is that in the 24 hours post accident is that they don't haemorrhage internally, and that can happen. In that case the consequences are very serious.

"We had a vet there in seconds and we had a horse ambulance there in seconds. We were all remarkably pleased with how well he loaded considering how bad it looked at the moment it happened. He's now cross-tied in his box so that he can't get down."

Henderson added Buzz has been a "very good patient" and that he is being well looked after by his stable lad Reggie Pallas.

He said: "Reggie who looks after him is with him with more carrots than Father Christmas could possibly bring. The important thing is that he stands and so far he has been a very good patient and that is always a bonus.

Nicky Henderson: 'We were all remarkably pleased with how well he loaded considering how bad it looked at the moment it happened'Credit: Edward Whitaker

"We haven't investigated any further because whatever you find there is no solution. It's just to stand still for as long as it takes. He'll be in his box cross-tied for I don't know, six weeks, eight weeks, whatever.

"At some stage we will be x-raying and scanning it but at the moment, Dave Matheson our vet just doesn't want to persevere with any further investigation while the imperative thing is to keep him immobile.

"He doesn't want people prodding him and poking him and machines everywhere. And the actual detail is irrelevant. The important thing is that he stays still and that he gets through the next 24 hours without having an internal bleed."

'It's just so unfair and cruel, it's untrue'

Owned by the Thurloe For Royal Marsden Cancer Charity, Buzz was a general 7-1 chance for the Paddy Power Stayers' Hurdle after his win in the Coral Hurdle last month, a race franked by subsequent International Hurdle one-two Guard Your Dreams and Song For Someone.

The Long Walk was set to be his first run over three miles, with Henderson, speaking to the Racing Post on Monday, saying "if he stays he's going to be very good, but that is the big if".

Henderson added: "It's just so unfair and cruel, it's untrue. Your heart goes out to the Staffords [James and Nicky] and all of Thurloe, but also Reggie because he worships this horse and he lives with him. It was awful."

Following the shake-up in the Long Walk market, Thyme Hill is the general 7-4 favourite to go one place better than last year, with Irish raider Ronald Pump next at a top-priced 7-2.

Howden Long Walk Hurdle

bet365: 7-4 Thyme Hill, 3 Ronald Pump, 6 Champ, 7 Paisley Park, Thomas Darby, 14 On The Blind Side, 25 Lisnagar Oscar, 33 Third Wind

Read more on the Long Walk:

Olly Murphy: 'On his day I genuinely think Thomas Darby can beat anything'

Matthew Smith sets sights on breakthrough Grade 1 with Ronald Pump at Ascot

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