Katie Walsh still hopeful of Grand National run despite arm injury

Irish jockey sustained kick after falling during Foxhunters Chase at Aintree

Katie Walsh is unseated from Distime during the Foxhunters Chase. Photograph: Phil Noble/Reuters
Katie Walsh is unseated from Distime during the Foxhunters Chase. Photograph: Phil Noble/Reuters

Katie Walsh is still hoping to ride Wonderful Charm in Saturday's Randox Health Grand National at Aintree.

It had initially been reported that Walsh would miss the race with a broken arm following a fall in the Foxhunters’ Chase and that she would be replaced by Nick Scholfield.

Walsh — who finished third in the 2012 National on Seabass — was unseated from Distime at The Chair, the third fence in the race run over the National course, and appeared to be kicked by another horse as she lay on the ground.

She was stretchered from the course into an ambulance and taken to hospital for further assessment and first reports were that she had broken her arm. However, her sister and agent Jennifer confirmed that not to be the case on Thursday evening.

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She said: “It’s all good. She got a kick from a horse following her and the doctors on the course initially thought she had broken her arm.

“Thankfully when she had the X-rays they came back 100 per cent clear, it’s just bruised. “Hopefully she’ll still be able to ride on Saturday.”