Grand National-winning jockey suffers serious injuries after his car was hit by falling tree during Storm Darragh
DUAL Grand National winning jockey Leighton Aspell had a lucky escape after a falling tree hit his car during Storm Darragh.
The Irishman suffered several nasty injuries, including a broken arm and internal bleeding, in the terrifying ordeal last Saturday.
Aspell, 48, was discharged late last week and is now recovering at home in Ireland with his family after the terrifying ordeal.
His former boss Oliver Sherwood, who is himself now in New Zealand, has been in touch with his old pal and reported he was in good spirits.
Sherwood said: “Thankfully he is back home now and doing fine.
“He has a broken arm and some internal bleeding but it could have been much worse.”
Aspell, who won the Grand National in back-to-back years on Pineau De Re and Sherwood’s fan favourite Many Clouds, retired in February 2020 after a long and successful career.
He had initially hung up his boots in 2007 but returned to the saddle two years later and went on to win the world’s most famous jumps race in successive seasons in 2014 and 2015.
He moved back to Ireland in 2021 with his wife, Nicola, and three daughters.
Two people were killed by falling trees when Storm Darragh wreaked havoc in Britain and Ireland last weekend.
Aintree were forced to abandon their big Becher Chase meeting as the course was battered by high winds and torrential rain.