Milton Harris to leave Thailand hospital after a week in intensive care

Trainer Milton Harris is set to be discharged from a Thailand hospital after spending a week in intensive care due to a pulmonary embolism.

Harris, 63, was due to spend a week with friends on a golfing holiday but was rushed to hospital upon his arrival in Thailand last Monday due to a blocked blood vessel in his lungs.

Des O’Connor, CEO of trailer rental company Trailer Resources, has two horses with Harris and has been in regular contact with the Wiltshire-based trainer throughout the week.

“Milton went to Thailand to have a break before the season picked up in December,” said O’Connor on Monday evening.

“He was meeting some mates over there on a seven-day golfing trip. He fell asleep on the plane for nine and a half hours, which is unusual for Milton because he never stops talking.

“When he arrived he had a pulmonary embolism and they found blood on his lungs, so they whizzed him into intensive care and that’s about as far as he’s seen of the golf course.

"He’s been released out of intensive care today but he can’t fly home for another five days because you can’t fly when you’ve been in intensive care.”

Harris, who saddled his first winner in 2001, spent seven and a half years out of racing after his licence was not renewed by the BHA in 2011, having been declared bankrupt.

However, he has bounced back since his return to the training ranks in December 2018. He had a career-best tally of 56 winners last season and a first Grade 1 success courtesy of Knight Salute at Aintree in April.

O’Connor reported the trainer to be in good form despite the health scare.

He said: “I spoke to Milton on Sunday afternoon. He’s still doing all of the entries and they’re still running as normal. He’s got Racing TV on his phone and he said he’s driving everyone mad but it’s given him something to do at the hospital.”

Cabrakan’s win at Newcastle on Saturday was the 34th of the season for Harris, who was also joint-leading trainer at Cheltenham’s November meeting with victories by juvenile hurdler Scriptwriter and bumper performer Gentle Slopes.

The latter has been given an entry over hurdles at Aintree on Saturday while Mullenbeg, Twinjets and Pyramid Place are set to run for Harris on Wednesday.

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