Nicky Henderson: “An update on Buzz”

UNFORTUNATELY I have some extremely sad news to report that Buzz suffered a suspected fractured pelvis this morning after his normal routine canter before his intended run in the G1 Long Walk Hurdle at Ascot tomorrow. Everything was going well until literally the final 100 yards of the gallop then all of a sudden everything went wrong.

We had the vets and equine ambulance there within minutes and I have to say everyone has been absolutely brilliant, and we were all pleasantly surprised as to how he loaded because he was obviously in quite some discomfort and unable to bear any weight, but we were able to get him into the horse ambulance and back to his stable as quickly and safely as possible.

He will now face a lengthy spell of recuperation and will literally have to stand, cross tied, in his box because we can’t afford for him to get down because it’s important he keeps as still as he possibly can to prevent any further injury.

We can’t tell you exactly what he has done, and the extent of the injury; we will of course know more in the next few days, but there is definitely a fracture of major significance. It could be the wing of the Ilium, but to be honest it makes no difference at this stage because it will still require the same amount of treatment and rehabilitation.

The most important thing is that, within the next 24 hours, he doesn’t suffer any internal bleeding, which can be quite common in instances like this, because that could be devastating, so the next day is absolutely crucial with regards to his recovery. The most important thing is to keep him as still and comfortable as possible.

He’s on pain killers and is as stable as can be. When I left to come to Ascot he was stood there with Reggie, who rides him every single day, and was enjoying munching away on some carrots. He’s been a very, very good patient so far.

With regards to his future, I simply cannot speculate at this stage. Of course we all hope he will be back on a racecourse but I have no idea if that will ever be possible and if so, when. All we can do is make sure he receives the best treatment available and is looked after and kept safely and comfortable.

It’s a devastating blow for all the team, including his owners Thurloe Thoroughbreds, who were donating 25% of any winning prize money to the Royal Marsden, which was a tremendous gesture.

I’ll keep you updated with any further news in due course.

Nicky