Willie Mullins confirmed that Recite A Prayer, who sustained a fractured eye socket while running amok during the Randox Grand National, is fine.
Jack Foley rode the 80-1 shot for the first time in the Aintree championship race, and the pair was among the first to rise at the starting fence, which turned out to be the only hurdle they would successfully clear in the contest.
Although Recite A Prayer cleared it perfectly, Cloudy Glen on the eight-year-old’s outer was less proficient, sprawling on landing and crossing the Closutton inmate’s path in the process – subsequently knocking Foley out of the saddle.
Recite A Prayer continued to run loose with the remainder of the field until just before Valentine’s on the first circuit where the gelding leapt the inside running rail and made his way to the Aintree infield.
“Recite A Prayer fractured his eye socket,” said Mullins on Sunday afternoon.
“They have done a little procedure on him in the Equine Hospital in Liverpool and I just got news that everything is OK with him. He has a few little cuts and bruises, but nothing more.
“He got loose on the inside and had to pull up where all the barriers were. That’s something Aintree are going to have to look at.”
Mullins also reported all of the other Closutton National runners to be in full health following their exertions on Merseyside.
“Gaillard Du Mesnil ran a cracker yesterday and jumped well,” he continued.
“He was very tired after the race, but he is fine. The same goes for Carefully Selected. Capodanno pulled up after getting very tired, it was probably just the lack of a run.
“Mr Incredible was unlucky, his saddle slipped. I didn’t really get a chance to talk to Brian (Hayes, jockey) yet. It didn’t look like he was going great but that’s Mr Incredible, he never looks like he is going great until the business end.”
Similar, however, cannot be said for stable jockey Paul Townend who is set for a few days on the sidelines following a fall from the ill-fated Dark Raven in one the precursors to the big-race.
He added: “Paul is very sore. He is arm is very sore after his fall from Dark Raven yesterday. He is going to take a day or two off.”
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