Injured jockey still in coma, reveals Upper Lambourn trainer

Vital CT scan due to be performed tonight on stricken Peter Toole

Jockey Peter Toole remains in a medically-induced coma following a fall at Aintree before Saturday's Grand National, Upper Lambourn trainer Charlie Mann revealed today (Monday).

The 22-year-old rider suffered bleeding on the right side of his brain when the 100-1 shot Classic Fly fell at the first fence in the Maghull Novices' Chase.

He was taken to Fazakerley hospital, near Aintree, but was later transferred to the neighbouring Walton centre for neurology and neurosurgery, where he remains unconscious.

Mr Mann, to whom Mr Toole is attached as a conditional jockey, said today: "He's still in an induced coma. He has bleeding on the right-hand side of his brain and also dislocated a shoulder, which has been put back in place. He's on a ventilator and is due to have a CT (computed tomography) scan tonight. They won't try to wake him until after that.”

Mr Toole's accident, coupled with the fact that only 19 of 40 horses completed Saturday's Grand National course - two were put down after injury - has led to renewed complaints about lack of safety.

The League Against Cruel Sports has described the Grand National as ritualised animal cruelty.

However, Mr Mann defended the event and the sport in general.

He said that safety measures, including reducing ‘drops' on the landing side of fences, had ironically made it more dangerous.

He added: “The new fences are lower, with the result that the horses are now going quicker. It's no co-incidence that two horses died. But there's no such thing as a completely safe horse race.

“Remember, there were about 70,000 people watching it inside Aintree and about 40 people outside trying to stop it. It's the most popular sporting event in the world.”