National hero Mania in hospital after going straight back to work

Mania appeared to suffer a kick between his shoulder blades and was trampled after falling from Sue Smith’s Stagecoach Jasper in a Hexham hurdle race in his first ride since conquering Aintree for the Yorkshire trainer.

Racing was delayed while the 23-year-old was treated behind hastily-erected screens before 
being flown to hospital in Newcastle where he was kept in overnight. He will have a precautionary scan today.

A hush descended across the course – the fall coming just three weeks after Irish jockey JT McNamara was paralysed at the Cheltenham Festival. However, Mania did not lose consciousness and his valet Steve Charlton said racecourse medics were not taking any chances.

“I think Ryan took a kick between his shoulder blades, but he can move all his limbs and he’s talking away. Hopefully he’s not too bad, but as usual they are being very careful,” said Charlton.

Smith’s husband Harvey, the former showjumper, also indicated that the rider’s injuries were not too serious. “He’ll be fine,” he added.

That this likeable jockey was in hospital 24 hours after the greatest achievement in his life is indicative of the risks involved with the sport. A John Smith’s Grand National hero one day – and then in an A&E hospital a day later.

Yet Mania’s decision to actually ride at Hexham illustrates the mentality of riders – they have a living to earn and cannot take big race success for granted.

Hours earlier, Mania had been beaming with pride at the Smith stables at High Eldwick on Baildon Moor after a whirlwind 24 hours following his shock 66-1 win on the 11-year-old Auroras Encore, who revelled in the 
belated Spring sunshine and on ground that had dried out significantly.

No horse has successfully defended the National since Red Rum prevailed in 1973 and 1974, but Auroras Encore will get the chance to do so – fitness permitting.

“All being well, that will be the plan,” said Sue Smith. “If everything stays the same and he summers well, I can’t see why not. The horse is unbelievably well. His legs are sound and he’s quite chirpy considering he raced for nearly four and a half miles.”

Auroras Encore is unlikely to appear in the Scottish National on Saturday week to avenge last year’s narrow defeat to Merigo, which confirmed that the gelding could be an Aintree contender.

Perhaps the most remarkable aspect of the National – a race incident-free after the heartbreak of previous runnings – was the sight of the 11-year-old Auroras Encore parading in front of the emptying stands, posing for pictures while eating the lush turf, just 90 minutes after he had galloped to an imperious nine-length win.

The success was also indicative of the stable’s modus operandi – Harvey Smith bought the horse for a now bargain £9,000 at Doncaster Sales in 2006 because he still relishes the challenge of nurturing them into potential chasers.

At their stables, the couple ‘broke in’ Auroras Encore, teaching him how to jump, before his racecourse debut at Market Rasen in February 2007 where he was second – the innocuous first of 44 races.

The showjumper’s wife never knows what to expect when her husband returns from the sales with his horsebox – but this diminutive horse, small for a steeplechaser at just 16.2 hands in height, did catch her eye. So did the bay gelding’s attitude.

“From day one on the racecourse, he was a proper racehorse. If they start off with that attitude, providing they are sound in wind and limb, they are good,” she said.

“You need a bit of quality and speed to win a National, you can’t have an out-and-out plodder. Nothing will change here. We want to train a certain amount of horses, but with more quality.

“Ironically, I spoke to Gerry Scott, who rode Merryman II, before the race and he said to us we desperately need another one for the North.”

Smith watched the race from the box of Trevor Hemmings, one of her owners, while her husband kept his own counsel by the winner’s enclosure. Was it serendipity?

“When he came away after the last, I thought ‘We are in now’,” he said. The couple shared an emotional embrace when first reunited before an impatient Harvey Smith sought out his conquering heroes.

Walking tall like a guardsman, he wiped away the odd tear of pride as he received the congratulations of the vanquished – including a heartfelt “well done” from Tony McCoy.

The 74-year-old checked Auroras Encore’s legs before leading the horse into the hallowed winner’s enclosure on the greatest day of his life.

After being persuaded to kiss his wife again, to the pleasant surprise of photographers, Smith then produced one of the more memorable Aintree quotes when Channel Four’s Clare Balding mischievously suggested that the win would be a tonic to the couple’s marriage.

“We are a bit antique-ish for that,” he said. “All the horses have come back in one piece, that’s a bonus. Let’s hope there is more to come.”

Mania puts Aintree lessons to perfect use: Page 9.