Nuts Well heading right way after suffering life-threatening injuries in fall

Nuts Well, the northern star who won the 2020 Old Roan Chase for Ann and Ian Hamilton's small stable, is making progress after suffering life-threatening injuries in a fall at Wetherby on Friday.

A winner of 13 of his 49 starts, the 11-year-old's racing days are over but it is hoped he will be able to leave the Hambleton Equine Clinic this week and return home to the Hamiltons' farm in Northumberland.

Nuts Well was taken to the veterinary practice near Stokesley in North Yorkshire after falling heavily at the last fence in the 2m3½f handicap chase on the opening day of the Charlie Hall meeting.

It was only the second time Nuts Well has fallen in his brilliant career, but unfortunately he suffered severe facial injuries.

"We took him to Hambleton Equine Clinic from Wetherby and they x-rayed him and halfway down his face to his nose, all the bones were shattered," said Ian Hamilton. "He didn't deserve that and it's bloody sad as he's been a favourite all these years.

"We think we can save him and he'll come back home in a few days. They've monitored him day and night and he's fine now and starting to eat and drink and he'll come back and be roughed off on Divet Hill."

Nuts Well is a half-brother to Runswick Royal, who was a Listed winner for the Hamiltons, and his biggest success came in the Grade 2 Old Roan when he scored at 18-1 under regular rider Danny McMenamin.

Ann and Ian Hamilton (right) with Nuts Well after his win in the Old RoanCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

Later in the 2020-21 season he finished second behind Fakir D'Oudairies in the Grade 1 Marsh Chase back at Aintree and he also built up a great affinity with Kelso, winning the 2m1f handicap chase in October three times and the Listed Premier Chase last season.

"He's as tough as old boots and as hard as nails," added Hamilton. "We've had so many people asking about him since Wetherby and he's a bit of a northern legend.

"We said in the morning of the race if he didn't run well we'd probably retire him and give him to Laura [Fenwick], who looks after him, to go point-to-pointing and I wish to hell we'd done it before.

"He was still in great fettle and he was running a nice race at Wetherby with top weight. He's never had much respite from the handicapper and that has been the case ever since he beat Waiting Patiently and Cloudy Dream in a maiden hurdle at Hexham, as they were two top-class horses."

Nuts Well, who was third in a Hexham bumper on his debut in April 2015, won nine chases and four hurdle races and amassed £286,990 in prize-money.

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